How to Shift to Full Screen the DOS Command in Windows 7

A friend of mine asked me that the DOS command prompt window is cut off on her computer. Thus, the other information is not shown on the screen. I am sure that most of my readers have already tried using Windows XP. If you are using Windows 7 you will notice that the DOS command does not support the full screen unlike in Windows XP. In Windows XP you just have to press ALT + Enter to see the full screen. Actually, there is a workaround for that if you need to see the full screen. Here below is the simple instruction on how to shift to full screen in Windows 7:

1. Click the Windows logo and right click on the DOS command
2. Click "Run as Administrator"
3. On the command prompt type "wmic"
4. You will notice that the command prompt has changed. Click the Maximize on the top right corner of the DOS command window.
5. The DOS command window will turn into full screen. Type exit but do not close the DOS command window.
6. You will notice that you went back to the C: prompt. Now you can start typing a DOS command and see the result in full screen.

Alternatively, you may also try this:

1. Click the Windows logo and right click on the DOS command
2. Click "Properties"
3. Click the "Layout" tab
4. Adjust the Window size
5. Click OK 

 Christmas is in the air! Wishing you all the joy, hope and wonder of the season.

Action Voip Stopped Responding

Some of you might not have heard yet the Action Voip. Action Voip is a small program that makes it possible for the people to make a cheaper call on the internet. By spending a small amount you can make a cheaper call to any country. In countries where there is a big population of expatriates like the middle east a software such as this one is very popular.

One of the managers in the company where I am currently employed called my attention about the Action Voip issue on his laptop. While dialing it stop responding, thus he cannot make a call. I tried uninstalling and re-installing it but it did not help. I also tried other possible solutions like downloading the latest version but it did not help either.

The possible reason why it stop responding can be attributed to the windows update for Windows 7 that may not be fully compatible with Action Voip. However, there is a workaround for this call issue.

Here's how I did it:

1. Right click on the Action Voip shortcut
2. Click the Compatibility tab
3. Put a tick mark on "Run this program in compatibility mode for"
4. On the combo box select "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)"
5. Finally, click Apply and OK buttons

That's it.I hope my fellow expatriates will find this post useful.

How to Turn Off Outlook Sync Log

Some of our co-employees have been complaining about this Outlook Sync Log. It is not only annoying to see your Sync folder being bombarded with logs but also occupies space on the mail box.  I also found out that a lot of people out there on the internet have also been complaining about this. I tried a few of their suggestions but none of them work. After spending hours searching on how to kill this pesky Sync Log I finally hit it. 

Try this :

1.  Click on Tools
2. Account Settings
3. Under the Email tab double click the email address
4. Click More Settings
5. Click Advanced Tab
6. Un-check “Use Cache Exchange Mode”
7. Re-start Outlook

How to Recover Your Files from a Dead Hard Disk

When you turned on your computer all you see is black screen with this error message: “Reboot and Select proper boot device or Insert Boot Media and press a key”. You probably tried to turn off and on your computer but the error message is still there. You might have also tried to shake your computer a little bit, but that will not work either.

In situations like this you may try to open the BIOS setting and see if your hard disk is detectable. If it is not then open your computer and check all the cables (e.g. SATA/IDE and power) if properly connected. You may also try to install that hard disk to another computer just to see if it will be detected. If you tried that and the error is not going away. You can now say good bye to your hard disk. If you do not have a backup of your files then that makes the situation even worse. Well, actually there is slim chance of getting your files back. But there is no assurance that it will work or if it does work you will be able to get all your files. First, you have to look for a hard disk which has “the same specification” with that of the defective unit. If you have a used hard disk of the same specification you may try that, what is important is the board of that hard disk is still okay.

Before we proceed I would like to show you the dead hard disk connected to a computer.  You will see on the BIOS setting that there is no hard disk detected on the 3rd drive. I also tried removing the first hard disk and installed only the second hard disk which is the defective one but it did not help either.

A Stable and Light Weight Email Server for Windows Platform

Software companies specializing in email servers are always coming up with something new to stay on top and beat their competitors. Thus, making their email server to eat up more resources of the server because of so many features. With these bundled features it also makes the installation and setup more difficult that usually require an advanced knowledge. Moreover, the price of the license also goes up as they add more features.

Despite of the tough competition among email servers emerge hMail Server. hMail Server is a free email server for windows platform, just like the popular email servers it supports the standard protocols POP3, SMTP and IMAP. Thus, there will be no issue with regards to setting up of email client software. The installation procedure is straight forward, you don't have to be an email server guru to make this software up and running. The latest version of hMail server as of this writing is "hMailServer 5.3.3-B1879".  You might be needing Windows Installer 3.1 and Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0 to install hMail server. If you encounter any issue you can find help from the online documentation or from the very active hMail community. 

Since hMail server is designed for windows platform, it can be integrated with Active Directory. All you have to do is put a tick mark to accomplish this. Another great feature of this software is it supports the popular SQL databases - Microsoft SQL, MySQL and Postgre SQL.
 

Even though this is a free software it has its own way of security. hMail server can be integrated with the open source anti-virus called ClamWin or any external anti-virus you prefer to use. Another great feature of this software is it has anti-spam protection. By just putting a tick mark you can enable the anti-spam from SpamAssassin. There are also these features of DNS black list, white listing, SPF, and a lot more.

If you're looking for a stable and light weight email server with the basic functionality of an email server hMail server is worth to try.  If you want to find out more, you can visit www.hmailserver.com.

Effective Anti-Malware

 

Spybot Search & Destroy (or Spybot S&D for short) is one of the most effective anti-malwares as of to date. I have tested this software for the past several years and I would say that it never let my computer down whenever a malware is underway. It detects a lot of malwares and is capable of removing it. Another great feature of this software is you can immunize your browser as a preventive measure against spywares.

Recently, the beta version of Spybot S&D is released with a new look. On this version they've already fixed some trivial and minor issues. As this is in beta stage, you are reminded that it should not replace the stable version. If you want to try Spybot S&D and see for yourself what it is capable of you can find it at http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html .

Print Spooler Error

Perhaps one of you might have already encountered the “spooler error”.  If you open the Printers and Faxes you won’t see any printer there.  It’s all white as if there is no printer installed. And, if you will try to re-install the printer driver the same thing happens. Usually that printer error occurs due to the installation of a third party software or corrupt printer drivers.

You’ll find some workaround on the internet for the “spooler error” however the most effective one is through the use of Microsoft Fix It.  Recently, one of our staff has encountered this error. And, luckily MS provided that app to fix it.  I was able to solve the printer issue in no time. Thanks to MS.

Free PDF Converter

I was looking from the internet for a software that converts a document to pdf format when I found this great free software called pdfcreator. If you're just looking for an alternative for the popular brands of pdf converters, pdfcreator is a worth to try. It has some great features that could match the popular softwares. You will find it very easy use, in just a few clicks you can have your documents converted to pdf. Moreover, it has encryption capabilities, digital signatures, merging of documents and a lot more features.

Some anti-spyware and anti-virus programs are giving false alerts about pdfcreator. To verify you can have it checked by an online anti-virus such as www.virustotal.com or any similar websites where you can submit a file for scanning.

Free Picture Resizer

Do you have some pictures to resize? Don’t go any further PIXresizer is here. 

If you have some pictures to resize and you want to do it quickly you can try PIXresizer.  It is very easy to use and the procedure is self explanatory. You just have to load the picture, choose the size you want, choose the file format and then save your file.  It does not alter the original file instead it creates another file so you can preserve your original file.  You can also work on multiple files if you have a lot of pictures to resize.

If you’re interested in knowing more about this freeware you can find it on http://bluefive.pair.com/updates.htm. You can finish downloading this software in no time because the installer is only about 3 MB.

Happy picture resizing.

An ERP Software for Small and Medium Scale Companies

If you are looking for comprehensive ERP software for small and medium scale companies, Enterprise 21 from TGI is worth to try.  It is designed to be flexible and configurable in order to meet the ever changing business operations.  Backed by TGI’s over two decades of experience in providing I.T. solutions, TGI is truly an authority when it comes to the development of complete package solutions.

Integrated with its robust Enterprise 21 ERP system are the following modules: sales order management, inventory control, warehouse management, manufacturing management, financial management, procurement, advanced forecasting and planning, customer relationship management (CRM), business intelligence, e-Commerce and project accounting.

Enterprise 21’s built-in manufacturing software is primarily use by many manufacturers from various industries to make-to-stock, make-to-order, assemble-to-order, and configure-to-order.  In order to meet the manufacturer’s requirements, Enterprise 21 is designed for various manufacturing operations such as process manufacturing, discrete manufacturing, and mixed-mode manufacturing environment.

On the other hand, the Enterprise 21’s distribution software is use by the top wholesale distributors in various industries. As part of the enterprise solutions package, it delivers a complete sales order management solution. Bundled with it are these features: available-to-promise and capable-to-promise alerts and processes during order entry.  These features not only improve the order line item fill rates and reduce on-hand inventory carrying costs but more importantly increase the overall customer service and satisfaction. Furthermore, the wholesale distribution software is fully-integrated with RF and barcode-enabled warehouse management system. Thus, making the warehouse operations more efficient and simplify.

The Enterprise 21 ERP system is indeed a must-see for the manufacturers looking for a complete control and streamline operations.

How To Recover Deleted Files

Have you permanently deleted a file and you wish you can recover it? One of the worst thing that can happen to an individual is if an important file is permanently deleted.

Some people are asking if there is a way to recover a permanently deleted file.  The answer is "yes". There are some utilities software that is capable of bringing back the deleted files. One of them is Recuva which you can find at www.piriform.com. You will see there the three editions namely the free, home and business.

Recuva is very easy to use and the instruction is very easy to follow. Once it starts running it will ask for the types of file you want to recover and where you want it to recover. It then scans your computer and after that it displays the deleted files on your screen.  You just have to look for the file you want to recover, put a tick mark on it and after that click the recover button.

If Recuva fails to recover on your first attempt go back to the first step and redo the procedure. Just before it start scanning put a tick mark on “Enable Deep Scan”. This process may take a little longer depending on the size of your hard drive.

Although this is a great software, however, it has its limitations.  On some instances it fails to recover huge files such as the videos despite of enabling the deep scan.

Free Virus Online Scanner

There are several online virus scanner that can be found on the internet. But ESET Online Scanner is my personal choice because it not just scan the files it also remove the virus. The other online scanner detects only the virus and after showing you the result you still need to figure out on how to remove it. Apart from that ESET Online Scanner is very easy to use. No installation required you just have to download the online scanner from their website. Run the scanner and place some tick marks on the "Computer scan settings". It is pretty straightforward and self explanatory.  By default the "Remove found threats" is already selected and you are given a choice whether you want to scan the archives. After downloading the virus signature database it will start to scan your computer and then after that it will show you the result.

Having an anti-virus installed on our computer does not guarantee that our computer will not be infected anymore. Sometimes we need to get a second opinion just to be sure that there is no infection that is able get through our system. I just want to remind you that online scanner is not intended to replace the anti-virus on your computer because it does not have a real time protection.

Free Firewall

If you are looking for a good free firewall perhaps you might want to check "Comodo Firewall". I stumbled upon this firewall when I was searching in Google for a free personal firewall to replace the built-in of Windows 7.

I just want to remind you that it is not advisable to have two firewalls running on one machine so you need to turn off the built-in windows firewall if you would like to replace it with another one.

The installer size is about 81 MB. Inside the installer it includes the Firewall, Comodo Dragon and Geekbuddy. Comodo Dragon is Comodo's version of web browser similar to that of Firefox. Geekbuddy is the connection to Comodo's tech support and this is not free. During the installation procedure you may exclude Comodo Dragon or Geekbuddy if you do not want it.

The configuration is very easy you do not have to have an advance knowledge to figure out on how to set it up. To get the best security you just change these settings or leave the default:

1. On the "Summary" tab -> "Firewall" leave the default setting to "Safe Mode"
2. On the "Summary" tab -> "Defense+" leave the default setting to "Safe Mode"
3. On the "Firewall" tab -> "Stealth Ports Wizards" click "Block all incoming connections and make my ports stealth for everyone." This feature makes all the ports of your computer to be invisible from the internet.
4. If you have a web, email, FTP, or VPN server you need to change the default setting of "Firewall Behavior Settings" -> "Advanced" by putting a tick mark on all the options under it. This feature protects your computer against the common types of Denial of Service (DoS) attack.

To test your firewall you can use any of these websites:

1. http://www.pcflank.com/

2. http://www.hackerwatch.org/probe/

Don't Do This To Your Printer

It is an ordinary busy day for the I.T. team when somebody came in carrying a laserjet printer.  It is a newly deployed printer so we are wondering why they brought it to our department.  When we open the input tray everybody is surprised to see. “How did it get there?” An earphone got stuck inside the printer.  The common printer issues that are brought to our attentions are paper jam or defective gear.  This is the first time that we saw an earphone inside the printer. It took some time to remove the covers until finally the earphone is completely removed from the printer.

The employee who is using that printer just placed the earphone on his table unknowingly that the other end is laid down on the input tray.  Until the time came that he used the printer not knowing that he is not only printing a document on a piece of paper but together with his earphone.

A few days later the same printer is brought in again and yes…your guess is right.  The same earphone is stuck again inside. This may sound funny but if we are going to look at it in a different perspective this is a good example of negligence.  We have to be responsible enough to look after the property that is assigned to us.  Treat it as if we are the one who actually bought it.