Windows Shell/User (MSN & OneCare Too) : Support

Junk E-mail keeps turning itself back on in Outlook 2007

ericvogel — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 21:01:00 GMT

I had to search all over the internet for this one, and found a workaround that existed in Beta 2 of Outlook 2007. Clear out your Block Senders list and turn off Junk E-mail and it worked.

BetaNews | Microsoft Makes Vista Fix Packs Public

ericvogel — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:05:55 GMT

Here is an article in more easy to understand terms of the two patches I posted. They will be in Vista SP1 and will make Vista more stable. I suggest everyone installs them.

Microsoft Makes Vista Fix Packs Public

BetaNews | Microsoft Makes Vista Fix Packs Public

An update is available that improves the performance and reliability of Windows Vista

ericvogel — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:03:40 GMT

INTRODUCTION

This update resolves issues that may affect some Windows Vista-based computers. These issues have been reported by customers who are using the Error Reporting service or Microsoft Customer Support Services.
By applying this update, you can achieve better performance and responsiveness in various scenarios. This update also improves the reliability of Windows Vista.
This update resolves the following issues on a Windows Vista-based computer:

• You experience a long delay when you try to exit the Photos screen saver.

• A memory leak occurs when you use the Windows Energy screen saver.

• If User Account Control is disabled on the computer, you cannot install a network printer successfully. This problem occurs if the network printer is hosted by a Windows XP-based or a Windows Server 2003-based computer.

• When you write data to an AVI file by using the AVIStreamWrite function, the file header of the AVI file is corrupted.

• When you copy or move a large file, the "estimated time remaining" takes a long time to be calculated and displayed.

• After you resume the computer from hibernation, it takes a long time to display the logon screen.

• When you synchronize an offline file to a server, the offline file is corrupted.

• If you edit an image file that uses the RAW image format, data loss occurs in the image file. This problem occurs if the RAW image is from any of the following digital SLR camera models:

• Canon EOS 1D

• Canon EOS 1DS

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

932988 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932988/) Files from a Canon EOD 1D or 1DS camera may be corrupted after you use Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Live Photo Gallery, or Windows Explorer to edit the file metadata in Windows Vista or in Windows XP Service Pack 2

• After you resume the computer from hibernation, the computer loses its default gateway address.

• Poor memory management performance occurs.

An update is available that improves the performance and reliability of Windows Vista

An update is available that improves the compatibility and reliability of Windows Vista

ericvogel — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:00:12 GMT

INTRODUCTION

This update resolves some compatibility issues and reliability issues in Windows Vista. By applying this update, you can achieve better reliability and hardware compatibility in various scenarios.
This update resolves the following issues:

• The screen may go blank when you try to upgrade the video driver. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

932539 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932539/) The screen may go blank when you try to upgrade the video driver on a Windows Vista-based computer

• The computer stops responding, and you receive a "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" error message. You can restart the computer only by pressing the computer's power button.

• The computer stops responding or restarts unexpectedly when you play video games or perform desktop operations.

• The Diagnostic Policy Service (DPS) stops responding when the computer is under heavy load or when very little memory is available. This problem prevents diagnostics from working.

• The screen goes blank after an external display device that is connected to the computer is turned off. For example, this problem may occur when a projector is turned off during a presentation.

• There are stability issues with some graphics processing units (GPUs). These issues could cause GPUs to stop responding (hang).

• Visual appearance issues occur when you play graphics-intensive games.

• You experience poor playback quality when you play HD DVD disks or Blu-ray disks on a large monitor.

• Applications that load the Netcfgx.dll component exit unexpectedly.

• Windows Calendar exits unexpectedly after you create a new appointment, create a new task, and then restart the computer.

• Internet Connection Sharing stops responding after you upgrade a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP to Windows Vista and then restart the computer.

• The Printer Spooler service stops unexpectedly.

• You receive a "Stop 0x0000009F" error when you put the computer to sleep while a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) connection is active. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

931671 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931671/) Error message when you put a Windows Vista-based computer to sleep while a PPP connection is active: "STOP 0x0000009F"

An update is available that improves the compatibility and reliability of Windows Vista

Ben's Space: MySpace Viruses and How to Prevent Against Them (and Other Viruses)

ericvogel — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 13:56:30 GMT

More reasons to be careful on MySpace and other websites.

To Whom This May Concern:
The MySpace website (http://www.myspace.com) is filled with thousands of viruses. Many of the viruses steal people's passwords to post advertisements on their bulletins, wasting system resources, bandwidth, and disk space. Other viruses are not meant to advertise, but rather to harm ones system by deleting files, stealing credit card information, and doing so much as deleting ones system.

Source: Ben's Space: MySpace Viruses and How to Prevent Against Them (and Other Viruses)

Microsoft Auto Update Causes Issues

ericvogel — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 20:03:00 GMT

I posted this comment on Susan Bradley's SBS Blog (Patch Status Report - April Patches) , so I thought I would post it here too:

My work computer, home laptop (Desktop does not have office on it mainly MCE), Mom's Laptop, Friends Desktop and Fathers Desktop and possibly' bosses laptop. All have the Outlook Junk Mail filter not install. Seems the best thing to do is to remove, install and replace the OSE.exe from the CD.

I removed office, installed it with all updates still happened.
then:
Step 1: Tool does not work.
Step 2: Was fine
Step 3: Replaced OSE and it worked. Seems my laptop and friends did not work with this step because Office was not removed. The fathers computer was fixed by PSS do not know what they had him do other than remove office.
Step 4: Seems the only fix (Then do step 3) and to be honest with you, these Auto Update's breaking is happening too much. Before this I had it break other ways at work, home and friends house causing nightmare repairs. I do not know what happened to the quility of the updates and AU.

-----PSS----
Step 1: Disable Local Installation Source ===================================
1. Download the Local Installation Source Tool from:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=10FA7AA3-695B-4
2C3-9045-B812BA0FED3E&displaylang=en

2. Extract LisTool.exe and LisTool.chm to some location.
3. Run the GUI tool (LISTOOL.exe) and choose the Disable LIS option.
Click next. Select all the check boxes in the subsequent dialog. Then proceed to Finish.
4. Check and install Office updates again.

What is the result? If this does not fix the problem, then move onto the next steps. They are taken from the following KB article to fix similar issues.

903772 You receive an "Error 80070643" error message when you try to update
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=903772

Step 2: Determine the status of the Office Source Engine service =====================================================
To determine the status of the Office Source Engine service, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
2. In the list of services, double-click Office Source Engine.
3. View the Startup type list.
4. If the startup type is set to Disabled, change the startup type to Manual. To do this, click Manual in the Startup type list, and then click OK.
5. Try to install the Office update again.

Step 3: Repair the Ose.exe file
=========================
To repair the Ose.exe file, copy the Ose.exe file from the Office 2003 CD. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Determine where the Ose.exe file is located. By default, the Ose.exe file is in the following location:
path:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Source Engine\ 2. Insert the Office 2003 CD in the CD drive.
3. Right-click Start, and then click Explore.
4. Use Microsoft Windows Explorer to locate the following folder on the Office 2003 CD:
path:\Files\Setup
5. Right-click the Ose.exe file, and then click Copy.
6. Locate and then click to select the folder in which the Ose.exe file is located on the computer. For example, locate and then click to select the following folder:
path:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Source Engine 7. Right-click the Source Engine folder, and then click Paste.
8. If you are prompted to replace an existing file, click Yes.

Step 4: Remove and then reinstall Office 2003 =====================================
To remove and then reinstall Office 2003, follow these steps.

Note: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.
1. Insert the Office 2003 CD in the CD drive.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Add or Remove Programs.
4. In the Currently installed programs list, click the version of Office
2003 that is installed, and then click Remove.
5. Click Yes when you are prompted to confirm that you want to remove Office 2003.
6. After Office 2003 is removed from the computer, click Add New Programs.
7. Click CD or Floppy.
8. In the Install Program From Floppy Disk or CD-ROM dialog box, make sure that the Office 2003 CD is in the CD drive. Then, click Next.
9. Click Finish. Then, follow the prompts to complete the installation of Office 2003.
10. Click OK when Office 2003 Setup is finished.
11. Remove the Office 2003 CD from the CD drive.

Does it help? Please understand that if none of the steps work, I would suggest that we completely remove Office 2003, including deleting the related registry keys and files, and then install it again to resolve the issue. It will be recommended since I find many Application Failures related to Outlook in your system information. However, this process will take some time. It will be used as a last resort. Thank you for your understanding!
-----------************-------------

Windows 98, Me Support to End in July

ericvogel — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 12:59:00 GMT

http://www.betanews.com/article/Windows_98_Me_Support_to_End_in_July/1144782174

New IE exploit Trojan out.

ericvogel — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Friend just got Goldun.Fam by going to a MySpace Customization site. http://research.sunbelt-software.com/threat_display.cfm?name=Goldun.Fam&threatid=43858

Looks like it uses this new vulnerability found in IE. No user interaction to get infected, this IS BAD! Seems there is no fix and to update java and to set all java levels in IE to prompt before install.

http://www.informationweek.com/security/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=183702452 (Toward the end, it tells you what to do.)

I do not see anything out there saying it has used a trojan. So I figured I better post here.

Friend said a file vs_prada.exe apeared on the desktop and he deleted it but did not go in the recycle bin. He did a system restore back to Sunday. (All this happened when I was talking to him on the phone.).

Windows Live! Toolbar does not contain Desktop Search.

ericvogel — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 18:39:00 GMT

Sorry, it does toward the bottom after the install. Maybe it was a bug or I missed it.

If you need desktop search, please do no install Windows Live! Toolbar and use MSN Toolbar with Desktop Search. If you would like to have Onfolio and do not mind your toolbar settings and plugins being erased, install the new Windows Live! Toolbar. Remove it, (do not remove Onfolio) install MSN Toolbar http://toolbar.msn.com and your good to go.

Microsoft Releases a Windows Genuine Advantage update with a big bug.

ericvogel — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 16:45:00 GMT

I went to finish up some work on the boss's son's computer. (XP Pro Retial from a reputable source. CD is the original Gold (RTM) CD) Windows OneCare stated a update is available and needs to be install on Microsoft Update. I say go ahead and it launches Internet Explorer and takes me to Windows Update and starts searching for updates. Then prompts me I need to install some files first. I allow it to and it starts to download and install a WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) update. After the update I now get a "Validation Error: Activation Limit Exceeded." [0x80080209].

I called the XP support line three (This is not a Windows OneCare error) times. First time I was disconnected The second time I was sent to Phone Activation and I followed as if my machine was activated and it kicked me out. I called a private support number and he had gotten a few calls and I was given (800) 936-5700 and was told to select the Customer Service option and say I have a WGA issue. I have now been on the phone for an hour, and the conclusion is that many customers are experiencing this and they are actively working on a fix. I was told the research team is working on it and will let me know what the status of it is and I have to wait up to 24-48 hours. If PSS reads this, you have a open invite to come in via Remote Assistance to poke around.

I suggest holding off on installing it for a few days till a week. Best yet, hold off to Patch Tuesday.