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 .