Michael’s Techbox

In this article, I will speak about my experience with Sony and Toshiba.

My Sony Vaio has 3 utility CD’s (That I had to burn) that can be used to restore the Vaio to “Factory State”. What makes me laugh is that whenever you have a problem with a Sony Vaio Laptop and need to contact support, they always ask you “What software does you computer have installed?” followed my their typical response – “Sir, please restore your computer to factory state and see if the problem persists”. To these guys its as if “Factory State” is some magical best possible software configuration where all problems can be simplified to either “Customer is at fault” or “The Vaio might need to go in for technical repairs”.

Its not really that I have a problem with Factory State, a laptop needs an OS right? What I have a problem with is the room full of people who decide what exactly will constitute “Factory State”, clearly these people have no interest in actually using the computer they’re selling. I myself am a computer expert, 10 years in the field and I know that when I buy a computer, the first thing I need to do is “fix it”, because it will arrive “broken” with its factory software configuration. Now you mighy be thinking, yeah yeah, most people are not that clued up on computers, and don’t mind a bit of bloat wear. This statement might have been true a few years ago, but the problem is “Factory State” has become so overbloated that its now noticable even to novice users. I’ve seen this with my friends, who know absolutely nothing about computers, they come to me and say “My computer is taking too long to start up, I think its because when I bought it, it comes with all these programs I don’t need”. Good old me ends up spending 2 hours, tweaking the startup and uninstalling the bloat on the PC.

Below I have documented the steps I need to take to fix a PC from “Factory State”.

1. I removed the start up nag thats showing me about special offers from Symantec and Microsoft Office Home Student.
2. I then needed to purge ALL SYMANTEC PRODUCTS from the system.  These products severly affect system performance. This involves uninstalling 4 products, and so 4 restarts…. but at least no more Norton.
3. Because my laptop is running Windows Vista (and I wish I had an XP option, but I do not) I needed to get rid of UAC – thats right turn it off, do not pass begin or collect 200.
4. Get rid of Microsoft Works – its completely outdated and there is actually no point at all in this product, originally intended to be the poor mans word, now MS Word Home and Student 2007 is affordable to the man on the street, and Open Office better still is FREE!  
5. Have a coffee
6. Install windows updates, “Factory State” does not get updated or patched, so its old, pre Vista SP1 days.
7. Get rid of an installed copy of Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition that is installed, but not activated. Note: this isn’t free software, Sony and Toshiba are not bundling any value in this for you.
8. Change the power setting to performance, and not Vaio Optimised (i.e: slow performance, better battery)
9. reboot
10. Get rid of the google toolbar for IE, I don’t do bloat, full stop!
11. Uninstall Google Earth, its not a bad program, but its now an outdated version, bottom line: if I wanted it on there I would have downloaded it and installed it myself.
12. Uninstall Google Talk, I never use it.
13. Oops just missed an activation assistant for Microsoft Office - better get rid of this too, and
14. reboot
15. uninstall SQL 2005, thats been included despite it having compatibility issues with this version of Vista (This is a Sony only issue)
16. reboot
17. Uninstall Proprietry Video and Photo Viewing Applications – not going to name them all, but there are so many (at least 9).  They’re usually total crap, and not required
18. Uninstall the advertising screen saver
19. Uninstall 1 AC3 Codec I don’t really trust at all
20. EEEEwwww Roxio – this has to go! And now that its on, it could have major issues trying to install Nero after it. Lets hope for the best, this time.
21. Picasso 2 – offically bloat
22. Uninstall SQL Server native Client – getting bored already with this – Yawn!
23. Uninstall Skype, its an older version!
24. Get rid of the damn side bar already!
25. Uninstall the 56k fax modem (not sure why they would include this hardware on such a modern PC, but its completely useless to me)
26. Smoke all SonicStage Products, not sure who these guys are or what they do, but not interested!
27. Reboot
28. Install some more updates, that are coming through on Windows Automatic Updates
29. Turn off most of the Vista Fuzz, that slows the PC down considerably (Core Duo 2 2.2GHz)
30. Set the page file to fixed size
31. Turn off Vista Indexing for the OS drive (another feature that just slows you down)
32. Install some more Vista Updates
33. Reboot
34. Shutdown all unrequired services that are not required by most users (e.g: fax)
35. Remove “buy from Ebay” desktop advertisment icons
36. Clean up general clutter on the desktop from advertising companies
37. Remove duplicate and unneeded items from the start menu
38. Turn off system restore!
39. Get rid of everything relating to tablet PC, I don’t own one, and more than likely never will!
40. Get rid of Vaio AV launcher crap, thats what Media centre is for.

I know its a bit of a long post, but I have to tell you after all the work, the notebook is finally ready, and in my opinion now “Factory State”.

Recently I came across a rather unusual problem on one of my Windows 2008 Server installations, an input locale was completely missing from the list of available languages. This made it impossible to select the currency format for that locale, or the keyboard layout, in this case it was Finnish.

After much sweat and tears I found a quick fix which might help those of you in the same situation, this is easier than reinstalling the whole server. I am pretty sure this fix will work on Vista too, but have not tested it on XP.

Create a new reg file using notepad, this has a .reg extention. Then copy the following into the notepad reg file.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layouts000040b]

“Layout Display Name”=”@C:\\Windows\\system32\\input.dll,-5009″

“Layout File”=”KBDFI.DLL”

“Layout Text”=”Finnish”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layouts001083b]

“Layout Display Name”=”@C:\\Windows\\system32\\input.dll,-5137″

“Layout File”=”KBDFI1.DLL”

“Layout Id”=”002d”

“Layout Text”=”Finnish with Sami”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layouts002083b]

“Layout Display Name”=”@C:\\Windows\\system32\\input.dll,-5142″

“Layout File”=”KBDSMSFI.DLL”

“Layout Id”=”002e”

“Layout Text”=”Sami Extended Finland-Sweden”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\Language]

“040b”=”l_intl.nls”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\Locale]

“0000040b”=”1″

You’ll need to replace the options with the locale you’re missing in this case Finnish = 0000040b. Once you’ve done this restart the computer and the locale should be back in the available list of selections.

Microsoft’s credibility has hit an all time low, has the big dog finally bitten off more than it can chew?, when it comes to desktop operating systems Microsoft’s in knee deep water. Windows Vista, the utter failure that it is, left many consumers disappointed, unWowed and its never a good sign when most large corporates have IT policies in place that forbid Vista Clients on their network.

Microsoft have an opportunity to make right and restore their lost honor. The next Windows will have to exceed public expectations, the bar has been raised. You can’t fool us again with empty promises of WOW! Microsoft need fresh ideas and new blood. Sooner or later it’s highly possible Microsoft actually might deliver us an operating system that we like.

The following is my wish list, the top 20 best ideas I can think of which would greatly improve the next version of Windows, now it took me less than 30 minutes to come up with these recomendations, feel free to add ideas to the comment section, if you want to expand on this list. Amazingly Microsoft aren’t in the habit of asking the public the right questions. Sure they have public surveys, how about a global campaign, get involved and help design the next version of windows. collecting data from real peoples user experience, actually becoming interested in us, the users of this new OS they’re in the process of building.

1. One Version but modularized (strip the hard edges between server and client versions of the OS)

One clean base version of Windows, every option defined as a feature, like in Windows Server 2008. It is essential that the base version is as clean and lean as possible. So clean that even the UI should be a feature. This way templates could be applied to the base install. This model is great because the feature model could always be extended by 3rd party vendors, and features on a whole could be upgraded, swopped out and replaced. This is every Network Administrators dream, to have an OS thats easy to slipstream or sysprep, and then have network profiling install system remotely, when required.

From a corporate perspective, stripping the hard edge between Server and Client makes a tremendous amount of sense, Machines could easily morph to perform business functions taking on hybrid roles, for example – a workstation development server. Features could require seperate activation a realistic licensing model could be applied. Microsoft will not loose any revenue from this deployment model. This would mean that developers would finally be able to perform a great deal more on their base operating systems, without having to install server versions of Windows, or use expensive virtualization solutions.

2. Far more inventive User Interface

Microsoft are one of the richest companies on the planet, they have offices in nearly every country in the world, they are able to take on projects of enormous stature, yet ask them to deliver a rich user interface that satisfies the imagination of the most creative of users, and they just can’t seem to get it right. A really superb user interface is not too much to ask for, by utlizing state of the art design concepts, they could even accomplish this without hogging all of the sytems resources.

3. Speed scaling

Some users love the flashy stuff, others really get annoyed to see their system being brough to its knees trying to render flashy 32bit icons and transition effects. For once it would be nice to have a system so customisable it can run looking like Windows 95 or as “Flashy” as Compiz. Give this control back to the user to decide which they want. 1GB of RAM Reserved for an Aero Theme is completely unacceptable.

4.  No Registry

Other operating systems don’t rely on a registry, it adds major bloat to the system, and is also subject to corruption. Most 3rd programs that rely on the registry tend to add loads of keys and values, and when you uninstall these programs, its highly unlikely they remove all that junk. It would be great to do away with the registry model completely and use application configuration files.

5. Built in RAR Support

Most consumers tend to use .zip or rar, but since RAR is the more flexible solution, why not have it built into the operating system. Full RAR support, a professional polished solution, not just extract to folder, like the current zip integration, thats so basic it makes you want to run out and buy winZip.

6.  Better Sound Recording Support

This is not the 60’s, a lot of technical users need to produce web, screen or podcasts. Sound recording, editing and producing to useable formats should be built into the operating system. Simple WAV out, just doesn’t cut it anymore.

7. Video Conversion Wizards that work

AVI, WMV, XVID, etc – it would be nice to be able to have right click shell integration and a convert to -> output format option, with real useful output options, wizard based publishing size/quality considerations.

8. Windows Driver Updates that actually work

More collaboration between Windows and Hardware vendors is required to allow Windows Update to communicate with Hardware vendors update sites. Better ability to determine if certain devices require software to be bundled with the driver.

9. Ghosting Support / Rollback and backup

It would be nice if the OS had a save snapshot option, with the ability on boot to restore a previous state. This would also require a rethink of the boot menu, and the ability to recognise external devices or network locations prior to the OS being loaded.

10. NO UAC

Its a daft idea, just remove it completely, everyone just disables it anyways. UAC sucks ASS! Who approved this feature anyways? Someone who never has to use it.

11. Better search

Implement search any other way  than its currently implemented. Even better give us back the search from Windows 2003/XP. The requirement is not too hard, I want something that helps me find stuff on my computer!

12. Don’t be ashamed of the command line – embrace it, and enhance it

Learn a lesson or 2 from Linux, the command prompt is important, implement a real programming model into batch files.

13. On the fly defrag

The file system should be intelligent enough, not to get fragged in the first place. a better IO interaction in the operating system should prevent fragging completely.

14. A real mail / blogging client

One that handles, POP and web based mail, something that can really filter out junk, and that looks good and polished, not like Windows Live Mail, or Windows Vista Mail

15. Auto logins to websites

The ability to manage logins to websites, a solution that’s browser independant, and one that does not make use of cookies. Simply put – something that requires no user intervenion. Also the ability to configure multiple identities to single sign on solutions. I know this would be a lot of work to have this at an OS level, but it should be technically possible.

Who do we love? Microsoft!
Why do we love them? Because they give us such great operating systems!

If you agree with the above, you’re a moron. Only a moron actually enjoys having a great deal of his system resources stolen and used unnessecarily by the base operating system. This is the trend of Microsoft Operating Systems. Intel and other manufacturers delivery cutting edge hardware, and Microsoft find a way to drain all that power, and bring any self respecting system down to its knees, and then all the morons clap their hands and say – WoW! This is the real Wow Factor.

Vista performs like an XP machine infected with a virus, and please don’t get smug and say upgrade your hardware, my hardware is designed for Windows Vista, the drivers and some features ONLY work with Vista. So the machine should then run Vista like a dream, I have to say it runs it at reasonable speed, but it doesn’t come close to Windows 2008 Workstation.

Windows 2008 Workstation is the solution I have been waiting for, ever since buying hardware thats somehow locked into Vista, and as a result a downgrade/upgrade to XP was not possible for me.

What is this Windows 2008 Workstation you ask? Its Windows Vista the way it should have been – Windows Server 2008 – twinked a bit to use it as a workstation operating system.

Now I know not everyone can afford this little beauty, so I guess its only really practicle if you have an MSDN subscription, I won’t publicly endorse getting it via “other” means. But if you can get hold of it… Do it!

One thing I really like about Windows 2008 workstation is immediate speed increase you’ll feel. Applications like Word and Visual Studio 2008 run a lot quicker, and the whole operating system feels more responsive, this is not just my opinion, the whole experience has been put through lab tests, and the overall outcome in labtests was a boost in performance by as much as 17%.

One thing I don’t want you to think is that I am running Windows 2008 Workstation with all the effects turned off. Actually I re-enabled the Aero theme, and turned on glass effects and all those good things… Still its quicker than Vista.

The only draw back I can think of is that some software won’t install, primarily because of server licencing, things like Anti Virus might be a problem. For years I’ve been an AVG fan, now I use PC Tools AV free edition. Still I am not against change, AVG Free Farewell old friend, Welcome Windows Workstation 2008.
My last gripe is that Windows Media Centre does not work on Windows 2008 Workstation, but as you’re reading this, people are trying really hard to get it to work, and a lot of progress has been made, there is only some final problem to solve with software execution permission it seems.

Its a really good OS solution for experienced MOSS Developers who can finally develop locally if they would like to without the need for a virtual machine environment.

As for games, yes they run just like they do in Vista, only the few odd games have some installation issues, but these with a bit of work can be solved.

Server has some other neat benefits, like how about – Self Reparing NTFS!

Goodbye sucky Vista, welcome Windows Workstation 2008

This is a very important question. Windows Vista users everywhere are having substantial productivity issues. These include software incompatibilities, hardware incompatibilities, and a whole host of other performance issues.

In a way this is a bit ironic, since the Vista marketing campaign portrays that Vista boosts your productivity, this is simply untrue. Vista has many problems, most of which require fairly advanced computer knowledge to get around, which is a shame because the end user of Vista does not necessarily possess these skills. Nevertheless, Vista has annoyed a great many people, and because of this I don’t think that too many of us are now holding our breath expecting the next version of windows to be anything but another let down.

There is no doubt, if you want to increase your productivity, the very best and effective method, is simply to upgrade your copy of Windows Vista to Windows XP SP3. By doing this you will solve most of your problems in under 3 hours. That is if you have XP drivers for your PC.

If you are unable to do this… there is not much you can really do to help your computer that has this disease called Windows Vista. Even turning off all the graphics fuzz does not help much, I found that it actually made the rendering to screen look slower than with it turned on… There is one thing you can do, there is some final hope you your system yet, you could try upgrade to Windows Workstation 2008 (Windows Server 2008), more info can be found here http://www.win2008workstation.com

If you are a gamer, then again devastating news. Windows Vista gaming performance in my experience is about 33% slower than windows XP. Unfortunately no tweaks helped, no wonder magic cures, the only thing you can really do is install XP, or else rush out and go and buy a gaming console, just make sure that console wont require upgrading to Vista anytime soon and you should be fine.

I recently performed a quick scan of this article… it still holds true, even after the release of SP1. The general opinion out there is Vista is somewhat of a failure.

This is my rant on the 2 rival operating systems. I have not included Apple OS’s because Apple OS’s require Apple hardware to run, and most Mac users are brainwashed enough to believe their OS is superior.

Windows Vista

Some argue the worst operating system ever released based on its hardware and software incompatibility. Who am I to disagree? Well I guess it can do more than Windows 95, but considering its release date, surely you would expect this. To be fair somethings have improved in this eternal failure of an OS, noticeably the wireless networking, its much easier to configure. There is no doubt about it, its slower than its predecesor XP, but I, having used this operating system for 4 months, I can tell you, it is a more stable operating system than XP. Vista is the greatest disappointment to computing since Windows Millennium.

As for overal quality – even without service pack 1 of this OS, its still a complete product, but… and this is a huge but… it does not solve the fundamental flaw in ALL MICROSOFT OPERATING SYSTEMS.
This flaw is essentially what might make windows loose the desktop war entirely to emerging operating systems like uBuntu. The flaw is trivial. With every new piece of software you install, windows operating systems get slower and performance degrades heavily. So re-installing a fresh copy of the OS, gives you PC a new boost of life, until you reinstall the required programs, then again that performance is lost. Also if you are really into computers, you will want to try out new software, this means installing, then uninstalling, games, applications and pretty much anything interesting… The windows registry suffers severly, and even 3rd party programs that claim to fix this DO NOT!
If Microsoft could fix this flaw… then Windows would be a far better OS, this is the achilles heels of a windows based operating system. Instead, they’re trying to bring us flashy windows that can twirl on our screen. Note: If you’re a linux fan boy, don’t sniggle at this either, or dare I mention Compiz?

Linux uBuntu
I have choosen this build since I believe it is the most user friendly of all the Linux builds, also the variablt KBuntu which is a windows looking build for windows users wishing to try the world of Linux. Linux is quick, swift and lean, from what I have seen. It does not offer all the Frills of windows, but this is actually refreshing, if you are after an OS that does not consume all your resources.

These are my problems with Linux… firstly even if I wanted to switch to Linux – I could not – and I guess no true .net developer could… .Net developers are tied into using windows – cause they develop windows based software.

If you are not a .net developer, and if you are just a simple user, you too are going to battle to enjoy even uBuntu – the simple version. You do need to be a bit of a computer geek to use Linux, this was the case, and unfortunately it still is (edited 2008 and unfortunately still is). You need to know about using the command line, editing config scripts, and get this – even downloading source code, and having to compile the source code of programs you want to use yourself. This is kind of unacceptable since its 2007. In this respect windows is worlds ahead of Linux, I have never had to compile the source code for a program to get it to run on windows… Unless I wrote it myself. Also in the world of Linux expect prerequisites and versions of the prerequisites to get things running. This means that to install 1 application, you might need to first install 4 other applicatins (for example), and each one requiring an exact version, and each one requiring you to build the app from the source code yourself… almost like DIY. This is where I draw the line. I have other interests in my life, and if Linux can’t make it easier to install a piece of software then I have my doubts about Linux. Certainly for most of us the only information we can get of Linux is out of geeks who actually use Linux, and most of these guys have a personal war on against Microsoft, or are young school kids, so I always doubt the validity of their claims.
In any event its down to the basics, Linux is hard to use, even the easy versions…