Windows Vista Fix is a counterfeit application which is designed to milk money from unwary users. The parasite is distributed online and is usually difficult to avoid if one does not employ a decent security program. As common for rogues, Windows Vista Fix also spreads via trojan which enters user’s computer through its vulnerable places. The parasite is designed to scan your computer after it is downloaded and installed to user’s computer that is done automatically without user’s knowledge and consent. Windows Vista Fix displays numerous fake security warnings and then offers to buy supposedly legitimate version of the program: Critical Error! Damaged hard drive clusters detected. Private data is at risk. Critical Error Hard Drive not found. Missing hard drive. Critical Error RAM memory usage is critically high. RAM memory failure. Critical Error Windows can’t find hard disk space. Hard drive error Critical Error! Windows was unable to save all the data for the file \System32\496A8300. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware. Critical Error A critical error has occurred while indexing data stored on hard drive. System restart required. System Restore The system has been restored after a critical error. Data integrity and hard drive integrity verification required. Activation Reminder Windows Vista Fix Activation Advanced module activation required to fix detected errors and performance issues. Please purchase Advanced Module license to activate this software and enable all features. Low Disk Space You are running very low disk space on Local Disk (C:). Windows – No Disk Exception Processing Message 0×0000013 Do not use it because this is a fraud. Malware seeks to trick you into spending your money. In fact, that money will go to bad people that do not care about your computer’s safety and protection. Use a reputable anti-spyware tool and terminate this dubious system as soon as possible [downloas os]

Windows Vista Fix registry values:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run ".exe"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run ""
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings "CertificateRevocation" = '0'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings "WarnonBadCertRecving" = '0'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop "NoChangingWallPaper" = '1'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations "LowRiskFileTypes" = '/{hq:/s`s:/ogn:/uyu:/dyd:/c`u:/bnl:/ble:/sdf:/lrh:/iul:/iulm:/fhg:/clq:/kqf:/`wh:/lqf:/lqdf:/lnw:/lq2:/l2t:/v`w:/rbs:'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments "SaveZoneInformation" = '1'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System "DisableTaskMgr" = '1'
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system "DisableTaskMgr" = '1'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Download "CheckExeSignatures" = 'no'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Use FormSuggest" = 'yes'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced "Hidden" = '0'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced "ShowSuperHidden" = 0'
Help: How to edit windows registry entries

Other malicious Windows Vista Fix files:

%AllUsersProfile%\
%AllUsersProfile%\.exe
%AllUsersProfile%\~
%AllUsersProfile%\~
%StartMenu%\Programs\Windows Vista Fix\
%StartMenu%\Programs\Windows Vista Fix\Uninstall Windows Vista Fix.lnk
%StartMenu%\Programs\Windows Vista Fix\Windows Vista Fix.lnk

The manual removal of files and registries should be performed by experienced users. A system can be badly affected if any error is done during the manual removal. We recommend using automatic removal tools to delete Windows Vista Fix, if you are not familiar with deleting malware manually.

Remove Antivirus 2011/XP Antivirus 2011 [download os]

When a virus is located on your computer the first thing you should do is run a full system scan on your computer to see if your internet security software is picking up any virus's.

The top virus removal security software are:-

Microsoft Security Essentials
AVG free edition
AVG Pro
Norton Internet Security
McAfee


If full system scan of your computer have failed to remove the virus from your system then you have definitely got a horrible virus on your computer and you will manually have to delete the infected files.

This example is how to remove antivirus 2011

1) Open task manager (ctrl + Alt + Delete) and "end process" to av2011.exe
2) WARNING!! Open Regedit (Start, type/select "run" and then type 'regedit"
ii) Locate HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "av2011.exe" and delete all components of "av2011.exe"
iii) Exit out of regedit
3) Remove existing traces of av2011:
ii) Go to programs, right click on av2011 and open file located. Delete ALL files in this folder.
iii) Go to control panel select add or remove program and if you locate av2011 uninstall the program off your system

Finally Restart your machine

Simple Ways to Make Windows 7 Run Faster at Startup [download os]

windows 7 might be the newest version of Windows but it’s already extremely popular. There are a lot of great things that you can say about Windows 7 compared to earlier Windows operating systems, but it’s not perfect, and you’ll still need to know how to fix windows 7 run faster at startup. There are unfortunately a number of errors and problems which can affect the operating system .A slow startup problem may be a headache for all computer users. After using Windows 7 for some time, I find that we can make Windows 7 run faster with some rather simple tricks.


1. Increase Windows 7 boot speed

Below are the steps to fix slow Windows 7 boot problem

a. Press "[WIN] +R" to open Run window.

b. Select "Timeout" tab within "Boot".

c. If you have installed Windows operating system, you can set it to 3s from the default 30s; if you install multiple operating systems, set the value to the desired seconds you would like to have at boot time and then check "No GUI Boot" tab.

d. Click "Advanced Options" to set the "Number of processors" according to your computer configuration. After the simple setting here, you will see an improvement on Windows 7 boot speed.

2. Disable Prefetcher to make Windows 7 run faster

Below are the steps to fix slow Windows 7 boot problem


a. Press "[WIN] +R" to open Run window and type "regedit" to open Registry Editor.

b. Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSessionManager Memory ManagementPrefetchParameters and right click "PrefetchParameters" on the left-hand side, change its value data from "3" to "0".

3. Speed up Windows 7 at startup

We know that when booting up computers or run a program, it will call for some related data. If the files are too fragmented, it will take more time for hard disk head to move too much to reach what it needs like finding stuff from a messy warehouse. To ensure a faster startup, a regular disk defragment process is needed. By the way, it is recommended to uninstall the unneeded programs and clear the useless files before.

How to Change Programs at Windows Startup [download os]

One of the main reasons why your Windows takes so long to boot when you switch it is due to the number of programs that run at system startup and this is the place for you to identify and disable them. In Windows operating systems, certain Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) programs are initiated during startup. Often, users will need to modify the startup process to stop the loading of some TSR programs. A Windows utility program, the System Configuration Utility (msconfig), is provided with each operating system installation. This utility will enable the user to modify the Windows startup process and the programs initiated during this process.

Steps to change programs at windows startup

• Click the "Start" button on the Windows desktop.

• Select the "Run" option.

• Type "msconfig" into the Run input box.

• Click "OK." A window with five tabs will appear.

• Click the "Startup" tab. A list of programs with checkboxes will appear.

• Uncheck each unneeded startup program. By using the msconfig utility, changes made to the startup process may be easily reversed.

• Reboot the computer. Windows will now start only the TSR programs specified with the configuration utility.

Many of you may have already have your hands on Windows 7 and must be exploring it. Waiting for your Windows to shut down completely can be a frustrating if you want the shutdown time to be much faster than what it is now read our blog “How to speed up shutdown time in windows 7”

How to Invite Remote Assistance on Windows 7 [download os]

When something goes wrong with the computer, and you don’t know how to fix the issue. So, you try to contact somebody for help. For this Windows has created Windows Remote Assistance feature, which allows to anyone, with your permission of course, connect remotely to a computer via a local network or the internet. You must invite the remote person before a connection can take place. Use the Easy Connect method if the other person is also using a Windows 7 computer. After the initial successful connection, the person appears in a contact list to simplify future invitations. Create and send an invitation file if the other person is using a different version of Windows.

Steps to send Invitation File

• Click the "Start" and type "Remote Assistance" in the "Search" box.
• Select "Windows Remote Assistance" from the list that appears.
• Click "Invite someone you trust to help you."

• Click "Save this invitation as a file" and select "Desktop" as the save location.
• Use your regular email program or website to send the file from the Desktop to the remote person.
• Communicate the 12-character password that appears to the remote support person, who will use it to connect to your computer when they open the invitation file. Click "Yes" to accept the connection.

Easy Connect

• Click the "Start" button and then type "Remote Assistance" in the "Search" box.
• Select "Windows Remote Assistance" from the list that appears.
• Click "Invite someone you trust to help you."
• Click "Use Easy Connect."
• Communicate the 12-character password to the remote support person, who will use it to connect to your computer through Easy Connect. Click "Yes" to accept the connection

If you are facing any problem while performing this steps you may take help from windows 7 support professional's

Windows Vista Problems and Troubleshooting [download os]

This vista problem troubleshooting article guide you how to troubleshoot various windows vista error problem and in detail windows vista troubleshooting solution.
There are lots of problems with windows vista and those are vary difficult to troubleshoot for a layman user. Here are the list of windows vista problems and troubleshooting guide for those vista problems.
Vista problem kernel data inpage error status no such device
During re-enumeration of a previously enumerated ide controller, a race condition exists between atapisys and pciidexsys or between Ataportsys and Pciidex.sys. In this race condition, the following conditions are true:

Atapi.sys and Ataport.sys use the stm method to select a transfer mode on a channel. The stm method is in the advanced configuration and power Interface bios. pciidex.sys verifies whether that channel exists by checking for the ide decode enable bit.

If the bios implementation of the stm method has cleared the ide decode enable bit, pciidex.sys determines that the channel does not exist. When this behavior occurs, pciidexsys does not enumerate the channel.

vista troubleshooting guide for this error

Because atapisys and ataportsys never run the stm method as long as there is i o on the channel, the stm method does not have to clear the ide decode enable bit. Therefore, BIOS manufacturers should not clear the ide decode enable bit in the stm method.

Path maximum transmission unit black hole router detection.The following is a list of black hole router detection changes that are included in windows server 2003 sp2.

By default, black hole detection is turned on.

Black hole probing is performed only for connections in established or advanced states.

Black hole probing is performed only for connections on which there is no full-size segment acknowledgement.

If black hole probing fails, the tcp maximum segment size of the connection is restored to what it used to be before probing.

• With black hole router detection turned off in versions of Windows that are earlier than windows server 2003 sp2, a connection times out approximately after 63 rtt. In windows server 2003 sp2, connections time out after 71 * rtt.

Remove Hibernation in Windows Vista troubleshooting

Hibernation is not made unavailable when you set the value of the hibernate after setting to never by using the power options item in windows vista control panel.

To make hibernation unavailable on windows vista, follow these steps:

1. Click start, and then type cmd in the start search box.

2. In the search results list, right-click command prompt, and then click run as administrator.

3. When you are prompted by user account control, click continue.

4. At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe hibernate off, and then press enter.

5. Type exit, and then press enter.

To make hibernation available, follow these steps for vista troubleshooting:

1. Click start on windows vista, and then type cmd in the start search box.

2. In the search results list, right-click command prompt, and then click run as administrator.

3. When you are prompted by user account control, clicks continue.

4. At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe hibernates on, and then press enter.

5. Type exit, and then press enter to close the command prompt window.

I am windows vista admin and I like to share my vista problem troubleshooting knowledge with others.

Article from articlesbase.com

This tutorial will take a look at the “Hyper-v Manager” built-in to Windows Server 2008 R2. !! For this to work your computers/servers CPU will have to support hardware assisted “Virtualization” and have it enabled in the BIOS. !!
Related Microsoft Windows Server Guide Articles

Announcing the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Customer Preview Program (CPP) [download os]

In late October I announced the Beta  of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 - beginning with a small group of Technology Adoption Program customers. This week we're opening up the beta to a broader audience. Starting today, MSDN and TechNet subscribers will have access to the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta to begin testing.  
Beginning Thursday Dec. 4^th, we will be making the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta available to everyone through a Customer Preview Program (CPP). The CPP will launch on TechNet and be available to anyone interested in trying out this service pack. The CPP is intended for technology enthusiasts, developers, and IT Pros who would like to test Service Pack 2 in their environments and with their applications prior to final release. For most customers, our best advice would be to wait until the final release prior to installing this service pack.
For those of you who choose to test this service pack, we encourage you to install the beta as soon as you can; your feedback will help us to ship a solid and stable service pack for Windows Vista.
Windows Vista SP2 builds on the solid foundation of Windows Vista SP1, and represents our ongoing commitment to Windows Vista today. Windows Vista SP2 includes all of the updates that have been delivered since the release of Windows Vista SP1, and incorporates improvements discovered through automated feedback from the Customer Experience Improvement Program (where users voluntarily opt-in to sending Microsoft error reports from their systems).  In addition to these updates, SP2 also includes support for new types of hardware and emerging standards that will grow in importance in the coming months. For specific changes in Windows Vista SP2 - see my previous post on Windows Vista SP2 or check out the notable changes document.
Your feedback from testing will help us deliver the highest quality release possible. As of today, we are tracking to ship Windows Vista SP2 in the first half of 2009.
Tags: Windows Vista, Announcement, Developers, IT Pro, Technology Enthusiasts, SP2, Service Pack, Service Pack 2

End of Support for Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista RTM [download os]

End of Support for Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista RTM 
Back in October 2009 we talked about upcoming dates for end of support for certain Windows XP and Windows Vista versions. Those dates are getting closer and this is the time to remind customers running these versions that there is a need to take an action.
If you or someone you know is running Windows Vista with no services packs installed (also known as Windows Vista RTM or SP0), please use Windows Update to install the latest service pack available – Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (note you’ll need to install Service Pack 1 first). We also recommend checking out our latest Windows release – Windows 7. On April 13th, 2010, Windows Vista RTM will reach the end of support.
And on July 13th, 2010, all versions of Windows 2000 and Windows XP SP2 will also reach the end of support. We recommend those of you still on Windows XP SP2 to install the latest service pack available via the Microsoft Update website – Windows XP Service Pack 3 – or look at moving to Windows 7. Folks still on Windows 2000 will need to look at moving to a more current version of Windows, such as Windows 7.
For more information on the end of support for these Windows releases, see this blog post on the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Blog. This post also provides guidance for businesses of all sizes. Or you can visit this page on Windows.com.
Keeping your PC up to date and as safe as possible is something that people need to think about beyond just being on the latest service pack. I want to remind everyone of the benefits of keeping Windows Update turned on. Through Windows Update, not only are you provided with the latest security updates and service packs for Windows at no cost, but also the latest updates to products such as Internet Explorer 8 and Microsoft Security Essentials.
Tags: Windows Vista, Announcement, Windows Vista SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3, Product Support, Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2, End of Support, Product Lifecycle, Product Support Lifecycle