Team Nirvana » Windows XP

Use and Manage Multiple Virtual Windows Desktops on Vista/XP

Suneel — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:59:48 +0000

Are you a person who is interested in organizing and working on multiple desktops? But, you do not have the desk space and the bucks to get a new monitor. Even if you have the green paper to go out and get yourself a new monitor, it has to be a TFT or LCD screen which will assist you in arranging the look and feel of your workspace. And again you are at loss, if you are using a CRT monitor right now.

Even with all these constraints and with a single monitor, I presume you can manage to use multiple desktops in a virtual environment which do not cost you and is absolutely free. Using a Virtual desktop manager is applaudible at this stage as your processing power will help you a lot in managing multiple desktops on a single system with a single monitor. All you need to do is download and install a nifty tool called Vista/XP Virtual Desktop Manager.

The installation file is less that 1 MB and lets you create as many virtual desktops as you wish. When I tried to increase and check the limitation of the number of desktops that Vista-XP Virtual Download Manager enable me to deploy, I found that this supports upto 100 virtual desktops. Yes, 100!!

100 Virtual Desktops

But, how does this work? Well, as Vista supports a feature called Desktop Windows Manager(DWM) which provides a set of thumbnail API’s which can be used to featurise thumbnails of windows that are open. This program utilizes this feature of the API to bring out a powerful virtual desktop application and that too with thumbnails of the other desktops in the virtual environment. And all you can do is, install and seamlessly switch between different virtual desktops.

But, if you are using Windows XP, all you miss is the thumbnails of the opened windows in different virtual desktops. I think I can stay with that.

I am thinking of using it to read any of my fav e-books in one screen or desktop and open a movie which I do not need to see the action of. Another possible use of this software is working on multiple applications which interact with each other, but require a little bit of tweaking and coding in their own environments which require different windows to be opened up. So, rather than cluttering my task bar and having trouble finding which window is which, I would stick APIs or static code at one place and code myself in another desktop.

And, all I use to switch from one virtual desktop to another is just Win Key +

6 Virtual Desktops at Play

So, if you wish to adjust with a single monitor but want to work on multiple virtual environments, this application is the perfect choice. Do let me know how you would like to use this.

How To Lock or Hide A Folder In Windows XP Without Any Software

Suneel — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:13:31 +0000

Folder Lock program is needed for every internet user who knows the ins and outs of every website. There are multitude of files which are to be saved and these files are not meant to be seen by others. Those are only for the eyes of the user and him alone. But, how to hide folders and make them inaccessible to others?? Are there any lock and hide folder programs which are free? How to lock a folder without using any folder locking software?

The method which I am gonna share now can be used only to lock a folder. We can do this in less than 10 steps and the benefit is you do not have to use these steps again and again to lock a folder. Once done, you can lock and unlock the particular folder as many times as you wish.

Follow these simple steps:

For example, lets assume that you have a folder named ‘Personal’ in D drive with all your stuff .(What a lame name to a folder! It will be surely opened.)
In the same folder structure, that is in D drive, create a text file with this same and exact statement.
“ren Personal Personal.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}” without quotes.
Now, save the text file with any name, but ending with .bat(that is, we are creating a batch file). To remember I would prefer naming this batch file as Lock.bat(This file locks the Personal folder).
Now, we need a Key to unlock right? Create another text file with the following text: “ren Personal.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} Personal” without quotes.
Save it as Key.bat(This unlocks the folder which is locked).
Hide Key.bat in a secure location which you would remember(I prefer C:\Windows\System32 directory)

We are done fellas. Test by clicking the Lock.bat file. Your folder changes it’s characteristics to Control Panel and becomes a shortcut to Control Panel.

Check the following figures:

Before Locking

And

After Locking

There it is, short and sweet, right??

Share how you would make use of this tip or trick!!! Share your contents of folders which you are going to hide here in the comments :p

Do try and let me know whether this approach for folders in Windows Vista too.

MSKeyViewer Recovers Lost Windows XP and Office Product Keys and Code

Suneel — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:40:30 +0000

It’s always a necessity to reinstall some of the windows products such as Windows Operating System and Microsoft Office when there is some problem which provides only one way. And, at these times you realise that you have lost the product key that arrives with the program. You can always contact the Technical Support of Microsoft and verify yourself in order to get the lost key by verifying your details. But, this is a time consuming process.

In order to be safe from your side, it’s always best to keep a copy of your product keys and serial numbers at all times. But, we cann ot predict the times at now and then you may need to check the keys in an ad hoc manner. At that times, it is well worth mentioning to use a tool called MSKeyViewer by Todd Sherrer. It’s a tiny 583KB installation file which even provides translations in various languages.

Do share with Us if you are aware of any similar kind of applications.

Windows XP, NOT FOR SALE, Anymore

Suneel — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:42:08 +0000

Kiss your copy of Microsoft Windows XP original copy as Microsoft Corp. is stopping the same from today, Monday, 06/30/2008. It just appears as if XP’s ‘more beautified’ version, Vista is being forcefully referred to be used. Even after so many desperate protests of XP supporters, Microsoft has taken its decision and XP will be off the shelves. More than 100K people signed an online petition at InfoWorld to rethink the decision, but to no avail.

Just have a look at this catch that has been offered to the PC Makers such as Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co., that their consumers who do not wish to get Vista Ultimate or Vista Business installed on their machines are supposed to “downgrade” to Windows XP. Sounds ridiculous? It appears to be a perfect marketing strategy of Microsoft. But, smaller retailers are provided a resale option up to the end of January 2009. Low-cost PCs would be more in demand supposedly that a version of XP will be available for them.

Prior to this, Microsoft has announced that it would provide full technical support to the 2002 released XP till the end of 2009 and a limited support till the end of 2014.

Share your experience with us on Vista or XP.

How To Remove MSN Messenger Tray Icon

Suneel — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:23:43 +0000

Ever wished for the MSN Messenger System Tray Icon to disappear?

No matter how hard you try, it always creeps up again after the system reboot. There is a perfect solution if you wish to remove it as of all. A simple command exists which would remove the messenger from the tray as a whole. I do not emphasize this as another Microsoft Vulnerability, but, it is, as the end-user is the one being harassed(read as bugged).

The simple steps the user has to perform are:

1. Go to Windows Start -> Run

2. Type or else copy and paste the following command into the Run Dialog Box:

“RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\inf\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove”

Note: Without Quotes

Its done.

To confirm, just restart the system and pronto, No More Bugging Icon.

Pretty easy, isn’t it?

An alternate method to remove MSN Messenger is suggested here.

Share how you have avoided this creepy icon in your systems.