windows posts

17-Year-Old Windows Bug Surfaces, Squashed by Microsoft

by Caleb Johnson (RSS feed) — Feb 5th 2010 at 5:40PM

Usually, Microsoft is pretty good about patching up any gaps in security. But with technology changing at breakneck speeds, some mistakes are bound to go unnoticed. According to BBC News, a man recently discovered a bug in Windows that's been around for 17 years. How does a vulnerability go unnoticed long enough for three different presidents to occupy the White House? Honestly, we're not sure. But Tavis Ormandy, the Google security researcher who discovered the bug, found it in a utility that lets newer versions of Windows run programs from the DOS era. Basically, the loophole could allow hackers to hijack a users PC. The bug has been hiding in every version of the operating system since Windows NT 3.1 -- when some of you were just a twinkle in your daddy's eye.

Since Ormandy enlightened the folks at Microsoft about the bug, the company announced it will fix it with a patch that'll be released this month. With this patch, Microsoft will also fix 25 other bugs -- five of which are rated "critical" by security experts. With all this recent bad publicity surrounding Microsoft's security, it doesn't seem like 2010 is starting out how the company would like. [From: BBC News]

Tags: bug, google, microsoft, operating system, OperatingSystem, patch, security, top, windows

Tech Tips

How to Really, Truly Uninstall Old Programs

by Jon Chase (RSS feed) — Nov 24th 2009 at 6:35AM

You'd think uninstalling applications, games, and the rest would be as simple as dumping the icon into the recycling bin, but the truth is that computer programs distribute their files all over your PC. While that may not seem like a big deal, after a while those bits and pieces add up and cause conflicts, errors, and registry issues. Check out Revo Uninstaller -- a free, easy-to-use utility that lets you fully delete whatever apps you want, as well as search out the fragments of old apps you thought you'd already deleted.

Tags: revo, techtip, top, uninstaller, windows

Tech Tips

Keep Two Computers Synced

by Jon Chase (RSS feed) — Nov 19th 2009 at 6:30AM

Keep all of your photo, video, audio, and data files up-to-date between your laptop and desktop by using syncing software. If you have a Windows PC, SyncBack is a freeware backup utility that lets you merge or overwrite data between two sources. Mac users who are comfortable using the Terminal may enjoy the free rsync utility, but the rest of us will prefer ChronoSync, a $40 app that lets you easily and seamlessly backup, or sync between two computers. (It even allows you to sync between a Mac and a PC.)

Tags: apple, computer, mac, synchronized swimming, SynchronizedSwimming, tech tips, techtip, TechTips, top, windows

Computers

Windows 7 Performing Just Fine, Despite Haters

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Nov 4th 2009 at 4:57PM

Apparently, some media outlets are so eager to see Microsoft fall flat on its face that they're already calling Windows 7 a failure -- less than two weeks after its debut. Electronista and CNN Money have already declared that, with Windows 7, Microsoft has blown its chance to stop the rise of Mac.

According to Internet tracking firm Net Applications, Windows has seen its ninth drop in market share in the last twelve months, falling an astounding (cue eye-rolling) two-tenths of a percent in October. During the same time, OS X saw its market share climb a little over one-tenth of a percent. This is, apparently, indicative of a march towards computing dominance for Apple -- at least if you ignore the fact that, despite losing market share for nine of the last twelve months, and despite the disaster that was Vista, Microsoft operating systems still account for more than 92-percent of Internet traffic.

Look, Apple has been "on the rise" for about ten years now and only accounts for about five-percent of the PCs currently in use. We're not saying that Apple will never topple, or severely cut, into Microsoft's market share. We're just saying that claims of the surging Mac don't quite jibe with the reality of the market.

Tags: apple, Microsoft, os x, OsX, windows, windows 7, Windows7

Computers, Web

25 Years Of Horrible, Hilarious Microsoft Ads

by Leila Brillson (RSS feed) — Sep 30th 2009 at 8:05AM

[Disclaimer: The writer of this post is a pure-bred Mac addict, and will probably continue to be so for the rest of her life.] Regardless of whether PCs or Apples are your thing, it's hard to argue against the fact that Microsoft has aired some truly bizarre, awkward, and downright bad advertisements over the past few decades. Sure, the PC vs. Mac commercials have gotten tedious, but Apple has historically leaned towards pop-inspired, music-and-dance promos while Bill Gates & Co. are admittedly, well... weird.

Tags: ads, advertising, commercials, funny, microsoft, top, weird, windows

Web

New York Times Web Site Hit With Malicious 'Advertisement'

by Caleb Johnson (RSS feed) — Sep 14th 2009 at 12:12PM

Such problems seldom affect major Web sites, but an "unauthorized advertisement" has been causing trouble for some visitors to The New York Times site, CNET News reports. Even more odd, the Times isn't sure how the ad got on the site or even if the site has been compromised by the attack. In a note to readers, the Times said that it is "working to prevent the problem from recurring."

While the ad doesn't appear to be very dangerous, it's certainly very annoying (Update: see below). When you visit the site, the ad warns that your computer might be at risk of infection and sends you to a site that supposedly offers anti-virus protection. (Although there have been no reports on the subject, and we certainly aren't going to download it ourselves to find out, this 'anti-virus' program is likely malicious.) Here's where it gets annoying. A reader told CNET News that the scam "hijacked his browser," forcing him to close out of it, since he couldn't leave the page. Another reader (who also took the screen capture above) told All Things Digital that he realized the ad was a scam, since he runs OS X and the ad mimics a Windows XP page.

Tags: hack, malware, new york times, news, NewYorkTimes, scam, top, web, windows

Computers

60% of Businesses Skipping Windows 7? Not Really

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jul 14th 2009 at 1:40PM

Six in Ten Businesses Skipping Windows 7? Not Really.

By now, you've likely seen the headlines: "Six in 10 Companies Skipping Windows 7." It may look like doom and gloom again for Microsoft, but the real situation may not be so dour. Before writing off Windows 7 as another Redmond swing-and-miss, consider the tremendous cost of upgrading a company's worth of computers.

A recent survey from ScriptLogic (a company that makes Windows management software) does show that businesses are concerned with hardware compatibility and have skipped Windows software updates in the name of trimming costs.

Tags: business, microsoft, operating system, OperatingSystem, top, windows, windows 7, Windows7

Computers, Web

Serious Internet Explorer Flaw Leaves Windows Users Vulnerable

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jul 7th 2009 at 12:54PM

You know things are bad when Microsoft is trying to draw attention to its latest security flaw. A new vulnerability is affecting Internet Explorer users who are running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 (do the latter even exist anymore?), allowing hackers to take control of victims' PCs remotely.

The risk of infection and hijacking is very serious since a user simply has to visit a Web site to fall prey to it. Criminals have been exploiting the security hole for about a week, primarily through links included in spam. Microsoft is working on the problem, but since the flaw was just recently discovered it may be a little while before it figures out how to plug the hole without breaking other features. Of course, we know from experience that Microsoft likes to take its sweet time with these things.

The flaw lies in how Internet Explorer and its notorious ActiveX controls handle video playback. Microsoft is encouraging users to disable the vulnerable ActiveX controls -- even in versions of Windows not known to be affected by the security problem -- until it can release an emergency patch later this month.

Tags: active x, ActiveX, internet explorer, InternetExplorer, microsoft, security, top, vulnerability, windows

Computers, Advice, Editor's Picks, Windows Software

What You Probably Don't Know About Windows 7

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — May 17th 2009 at 8:12AM

Best Under-Appreciated Windows 7 Features

We've covered some of the more important features of Windows 7 before -- including the improvements in security and speed -- but there are a host of other, lesser-mentioned features that make using Windows 7 much more pleasurable than Vista. Lifehacker, a must read here at the Switched offices, has compiled a list of its favorite less-hyped features in Microsoft's upcoming operating system.

One of these features is 'libraries,' which lets you break out of the standard file/folder paradigm with pictures by putting all your photos into a photo library -- even if they're in different folders. Also under-hyped are 'jump lists,' which gives quick access to commonly used files and features and limit how much menu digging we have to do.

You can check out the rest of Lifehacker's list of underhyped Windows 7 features at the read link. [From: Lifehacker]

Tags: microsoft, top, windows, windows 7, Windows7

Computers, Advice, Tech Tips

Kill Frozen Programs in Windows With a Shortcut

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — May 4th 2009 at 6:11AM

Kill Frozen Apps in Windows With a Shortcut

If you're a Windows user, it pretty much goes without saying that you've encountered a frozen program before. Often these jammed apps get labeled with the dreaded "Not Responding" message and simply refuse to do anything, even close. Usually, the only solution is to open the task manager, find the appropriate process, and choose to close it. Fortunately, a quicker and easier way exists.

Tags: frozen, not responding, NotResponding, top, vista, windows, windows 7, windows vista, windows xp, Windows7, WindowsVista, WindowsXp, xp

Computer Pros to Wait for Windows 7, Survey Says

by Warren Riddle (RSS feed) — Apr 20th 2009 at 5:19PM

Microsoft has faced concern and criticism for its Windows Vista operating system from day one. Despite the company's best advertising efforts, many customers plan to wait for Windows 7 before upgrading their machines, says a recent survey.

Systems management firm KACE commissioned a survey of 1,142 IT professionals to gauge opinion about switching to the forthcoming Windows 7. Of those, 84-percent said they plan to wait at least a year before upgrading to Windows 7, despite the software's favorable reviews from early beta-testers. Some disturbing news for Vista: 83-percent said they plan to skip Vista in order to wait for the new operating system, and more than 50-percent are considering leaving Windows altogether. This is more than twice the number from a similar poll two years ago, with a majority of potential ship jumpers leaning towards Apple's Mac OSX as a replacement.

Still, we're seeing signs that Microsoft may be bouncing back in the public eye, a change spurred in no small part by their new series of 'Laptop Hunters' ads, which highlight the value of Microsoft-equipped computers in these tough economic times. We reported last month that PC sales jumped 22-percent in February when compared to the same month last year, while Apple sales dropped 16-percent. [From: CNN Money]

Tags: Microsoft Mojave, Microsoft Vista, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 7, MicrosoftMojave, MicrosoftVista, MicrosoftWindows, MicrosoftWindows7, top, vista, windows, windows 7, Windows7, workplace

Computers

10 'Coulda-Been-Windows' Operating Systems That Never Took Off...

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Apr 6th 2009 at 8:17AM

Ten Operating Systems to Bring a Nostalgic Tear to Your Eye

Sure, you've all heard of Windows and Apple's OS X, and at least some of you are familiar with Linux, but those aren't the only operating systems out there.

Many of you have probably never heard of NeXTStep, the operating system developed by Steve Jobs's company NeXT after he left Apple. NeXTStep eventually became the basis for OS X when Jobs was asked to rejoin the home of the Mac. NeXTStep was just another competitor, though, when Apple began looking to replace its aging Mac OS. Another front runner was a little known system called BeOS, which briefly enjoyed some popularity as an alternative to Mac OS, but eventually faded into obscurity.

Another gone, and pretty much forgotten, system (unless you've spent a lot of time at your community TV station) is AmigaOS. Amiga allowed users to run several programs at once long before Microsoft and Apple offered the same functionality, and was powerful enough to generate backgrounds on TV shows like 'Babylon 5' and 'Max Headroom' at a time when many PC users were still fumbling around with DOS.

Check out the rest of Computer World's article of "Gone but Not Forgotten" operating systems for a healthy dose of computing nostalgia. [From: Computer World]

Related Links:

Tags: amiga, beos, dos, linux, nextstep, nostalgia, operating system, OperatingSystem, os, os x, OsX, windows

Computers

Recession Hurting Apple, Helping PCs

by Peter Mychalcewycz (RSS feed) — Mar 22nd 2009 at 4:28PM

Apple may want to consider dropping their prices a teency weency bit.

According to the industry research firm NPD Group, Mac sales dropped 16-percent in February compared to sales the same month in 2008. Many people have wondered if Apple would make concessions considering the state of the economy, but they seem content at the moment, so keep dreaming about a new $1500 MacBook Pro. Apple's seeming complacency has resulted in a boom for Windows PCs, which saw sales jump 22-percent compared to the same month last year.

Sure, Apple produces beautiful, quality products, but this economy may force them to flinch just a bit when it comes to pricing. PC manufacturers, of course, are hoping that Apple stays the course. [From: pcworld]

Related Links:

Tags: apple, economy, macbook pro, MacbookPro, pc, windows

Computers, Advice, Windows Software, Laptops, Notebooks, desktops

Most Speed-Up-Your-PC Programs Are Bogus

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Mar 16th 2009 at 3:47PM

Surely you've seen the annoying ads on television or flashing banner graphics on your favorite sites advertising applications guaranteed to take your slow-as-molasses computer and make it run like new again? Hopefully you've never taken the plunge and clicked or installed, but Slate's Farhad Manjoo did. Out of curiosity, he installed My Faster PC just to see what it would do to his computer. As it turns out, it didn't really do a thing -- other than milk him for $30.

That program, and the dozens of others like it, pledge to clean up supposed detritus left behind by months or years of computing. Sadly, My Faster PC relies largely on tools that are already on your computer, like Microsoft's disk defragmenter, which re-arranges things on your computer's hard drive to speed it up. It's automatically enabled in Vista (here's how to adjust it) and you can get to it in XP by going to "My Computer," right-clicking on your hard drive (C: or D:), clicking "Properties," clicking "Tools," and then clicking "Defragment Now."

Tags: ccleaner, computers, defragment, defragmenting, my faster pc, MyFasterPc, performance, registry, top, upgrades, windows

Computers, Advice, Tech Tips

How to Shut Off Startup Programs (Windows)

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Mar 3rd 2009 at 1:31PM

You might not even realize it, but when you first log onto your PC, dozens of programs and services are starting that you most likely don't need. Some rear their ugly heads in the system tray (that little collection of icons next to the clock in Windows), but others run quietly in the background with you none the wiser.

Now, don't get scared, these instructions will take you to corners of your operating system (OS) you may not have seen before, but follow our instructions below and you should notice slightly quicker performance and potentially much faster boot times.

Windows:

In XP select Run from the Start menu, under Vista you can hit the Windows key and "r" at the same time to bring up the Run dialog.

Run msconfig.

Select the Services tab.

You can safely uncheck the following services: Fast User Switching (if you only have one account on the PC), Indexing Service, Remote Registry, Smart Card, Telephony, Computer Browser (unless you have a home network), Messenger, Net Logon, Telnet, Terminal Services, NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing, Remote Desktop Help Session Manager, Uninterpretable Power Supply.

Now navigate to the Startup tab.

Uncheck any applications that don't need to be running the minute you startup your computer -- like AIM, iTunes Helper, and QT Task. But leave the antivirus.

Tags: advice, techtip, windows

Switched Video

For more videos, click here.

Most Emailed Stories

Editors' Picks

Deals of the Day

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=786664&pid=786663&uts=1259957822

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Facebook's Most Annoying Things

Getty Images

Black Friday' Deals to Watch For

Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.

Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.

Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.

Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.

HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.

HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.

HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.

GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.

Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.

Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.

Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.

Latest Reviews from CNET.com

CNET provides the latest tech news, unbiased reviews, videos, podcasts, software, and downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand and use.

Top Product Reviews

Home Audio Reviews
9.0 out of 10
Definitive Technology BPX
Works great with Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital. Full Review
8.8 out of 10
KEF KHT3005 (silver)
The KEF KHT-3005 is one compact, beautifully designed speaker package with solid aluminum satellites that feature unique driver technology to produce incredible clarity. Meanwhile, the equally astounding dual 10-inch, 250-watt powered subwoofer delivers ultradeep bass. Full Review
8.8 out of 10
Aperion Intimus 4T Hybrid SD (cherry)
Six-piece home theater speaker package with slender towers; compact center and surround speakers; remote controlled subwoofer with adjustable equalization; gorgeous furniture grade real cherry wood or black gloss finishes; 10 year warranty; 30 day in-home trial; free shipping. Full Review
Cell Phone Reviews

8.7 out of 10
SignalBoost Mobile Professional Amplifier Kit
The Mobile Professional Amplifier delivers a powerful signal boost to your cell phone. Also, it offers a compact design and easy setup. Full Review
8.6 out of 10
Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL cell phone signal extender
The Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL significantly boosts your cell phone reception and is easy to operate. Also, it uses a wireless connection to your phone. Full Review
8.3 out of 10
Sanyo SCP-5300 (Sprint)
Vibrant color display; built-in camera with flash; compatible with Sprint PCS Business Connection software; comes with extended battery; solid call quality. Full Review
Digital Camera Reviews

9.3 out of 10
Canon EOS 1D Mark III
Extremely fast, 10-megapixel continuous shooting; very low noise; highly customizable; well-designed body with weather sealing; 3-inch LCD; abundant optional accessories. Full Review
9.0 out of 10
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Very low noise, high quality images; 21.1 megapixels; live view shooting; pro-level build-quality and performance. Full Review
8.9 out of 10
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II (body only)
Tremendous resolution; professional body; many improvements over original EOS 1Ds; superior handling; optional wireless photo transfer. Full Review
Desktop Reviews

8.9 out of 10
Velocity Micro Edge Z30 (Intel Core i7)
Best value among midrange gaming PCs; Velocity Micro's consistently high build quality; compact case makes few sacrifices; second graphics card slot previously uncommon at this price. Full Review
8.4 out of 10
Velocity Raptor Signature Edition Gaming PC
One of the fastest PCs we've tested; a PCI Express RAID card helps media encoding performance; typically immaculate Velocity Micro assembly; strong, three-year warranty. Full Review