How2NotFail » Windows Vista

Fix: Escape Key Stopped Working in Windows

Michael — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:16:52 +0000

Has your escape key stopped working (most of the time)? Yeah, that happened to me too. If you’re an artist or developer, chances are you’ve probably got Photoshop installed. For some reason some of Adobe’s applications prevent the Escape key from working normally. So, if you’ve got any Adobe applications running, try closing them and see if your Escape key decides to come back to life.

Cheers.

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Fix: Internet Explorer Won’t Close, Won’t Display Webpages, and Crashes

Michael — Sun, 31 May 2009 01:45:09 +0000

This problem was agonizing! My internet explorer would open, fail to display webpages, and then refuse to close. I had to shut it down using the Task Manager each time! Yuck. After a bit of research, and toying with different settings I came upon the following solution.

How to Fix Internet Explorer

1. Open up your Control Panel ( Start->Settings->Control Panel )

2. Switch to Classic View

3. Open Internet Options

4. Click on the Advanced Tab, at the top

5. Click on the Reset Button, near the bottom

Resetting the browser back to its Manufacturer Defaults will fix most any problem you might be experiencing with IE.

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Fix Task Manager – Menu, Buttons, and Tabs are Missing, Hidden, and Gone

Michael — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:58:11 +0000

This happened to me a long time ago, when I first started using windows, and I had NO idea how to fix it. All you see is a nice compact little border around your tasks, with no way to get back to the higher functions of your task manager. The File, Options, View, etc are gone, and you can’t even click the close button. It’s actually not broken! That, as with all ‘fun’ windows quirks, is a feature.

How Do I Fix It?

Double click any grey area in your task manager that isn’t a button or a menu item. This will toggle your window mode back and forth between the original and compact view.

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How to Take Screenshots of Videos in Winamp or Windows Media Player

Ben — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:09:57 +0000

If you have ever tried to take a screen shot of a video or movie playing in Winamp or Windows Media Player you may have found that after you save the file you are left with nothing more than a black square where your video used to be, even screen capturing utilities will often be unable to capture a screen shot from video playing on one of these media players. If you follow these simple steps according to the media player you prefer you’ll be able to save screen shots with Windows screen shot function or with third party programs just fine.

Windows Media Player

From the menu, go to Tools -> Options
Click the Performance tab
Slide the Video Acceleration setting as far as it goes to the left (None)
Hit OK to apply the settings
Take the screen shot you intended to take as you normally would
Slide the Video Acceleration option back to where it was

Winamp Media Player

From the menu, go to Options -> Preferences
Click on the Video menu
Un-check the box labeled “Allow hardware video overlay“
Hit OK to apply the settings
Restart Winamp
Take the screen shot you intended to take as you normally would
Check the “Allow hardware video overlay” box again to return it to normal

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Fix: Flash Jumps, Stutters, and Skips in Firefox and Internet Explorer

Michael — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:40:49 +0000

Up until recently I too was one of those people that suffered from the choppy video on YouTube and other flash video sites. After fiddling around with a few of my audio settings, I was able to alleviate the symptom, and now have smooth video.

How to Fix It (Windows Vista)

The issue was resolved for me when I disabled my Audio Enhancements.

1. Start->Settings->Control Panel
2. Select Classic View
3. Double-Click the Sound Icon
4. Click on the Enhancements Tab
5. Check the box for Disable all Enhancements
6. Hit OK
7. Close all instances of Firefox and restart it

You should no longer have any problems with your video skipping or stuttering.

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Vista: Home – Domains

Michael — Sun, 03 May 2009 09:05:31 +0000

Microsoft is getting better- at taking us for everything we’re worth.. lawl.

So I was at work a few days ago, trying to figure out how to setup my Windows Vista: Home Edition computer to connect to a domain. Don’t ask me WHY my computer has Vista Home on it, at work, and not Business or Ultimate (my boss likes to cut corners). Anyways, I guess Microsoft figured that there should be no reason for someone to setup a domain at home since it’s primary purpose is to serve as a “home entertainment center”, so Home Edition doesn’t support it.

I ended up getting on the network using Windows Vista’s native VPN support though. Still annoying- but hey, that’s Microsoft.

Is it Possible to Set Up a Domain on Windows Vista?
Long story short- No. It’s not supported.

Which Versions of Vista Support it?
Vista Ultimate and Vista Business

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Windows Vista – Turn Off “Windows Needs Your Permission to Continue”

Michael — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:43:55 +0000

So.. You just got your new computer loaded to the brim with raw, untamed, muscle and power. When you plug it in and turn it on, the lights glow neon blue hews across your bedroom walls and a jet engine works tirelessly inside to keep all the hardware cool and comfy. You decide that it’s time to install some programs, configure your monster, and personalize the ever living buhjebus out of it. What happens next is quite possibly the most annoying “feature” you’ve ever encountered! That’s right- User Access Control is a feature! Ugh!!

Here’s how you can disable that, before the stress and headaches continue to reinforce the internal hemmoraging that you get from having to sit through that pop up 30 times an hour.

Via Control Panel

1. Start->Settings->Control Panel
2. In the search box type: UAC

Make sure you are in “Control Panel Home” View, and not in “Classic View” (in the left column). Otherwise the Search won’t work.

3. Click on: Turn User Account (UAC) on or off
4. Un-Check: Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer
5. OK
6. Reboot

Via MSConfig / System Configuration

1. Start->Run
2. Type in: msconfig
3. Click on the Tools Tab
4. Scroll down a bit until you see “Disable UAC” and select it
5. Click Launch
6. Hit OK
7. Reboot

There it is! Easy as pie.

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