Automatic Login on Windows Vista

Maybe you have a Media Center PC in your living room or simply use your Windows Vista computer just for you alone. If so, you might have wondered, how to avoid this annoying "inputting your password" procedure.
Well there's hope ;)
Simply follow these upcoming steps:

1. Click on Start, type netplwiz into the search field and press Enter.
2. Now there should appear the User Account Control window.
3. Mark now the user you want to log in automatically.
4. Clear the Users must enter a username and password to use this computer option and click OK.
5. Provide the password for your user account when prompted and restart your computer.
6. From now on Vista will automatically log on with your user account.
   

Et voila, next time you start your Media Center relax and enjoy ^^

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 download - FINALLY

Yesterday I had the chance to download the new and shiny Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista which had been released as a RTM (Release to Manufacturing) version a few days ago.
The download package is about 1.3 GB big in case you download the version that includes the x64 and the x86 Service Pack.
The x86 version just alone, is about 600 MB big and the installation on my laptop took about 30 minutes.
Well so far I haven't noticed many differences but two.
First, the file transfer rate really has increased :)
Second, the remote desktop client now offers the option not to see the "the client you are connecting to doesn't use Windows Vista" anytime you take control of an remote PC or Server.
All in all I am happy about these changes, but I really hope there's more than just these few features...
By the way: The official release date for this major update is March 2008.
In case you already want to receive it via Windows Update here's a nifty little trick, but be warned before because you have to restart your system about 4 times:

• First of all check your version of Windows Vista. An easy way for that is to input "winver" into your startmenu. If you already installed a Release Candidate before, it is now time to uninstall it. After the uninstall don't forget to restart your PC.
  
• Now check your current installed updates. KB935509 must be installed so far, because it reconfigures the bootloader. Without that, installation of the Service Pack 1 is impossible.
• Install all the "important" and "recommended" marked updates. KB935509 can be one of them.
• Download the Vista Registry Hack here. This .cmd file's code isn't really complicated. It simply deletes two keys in the registry that prevent your PC from downloading the update automatically, and starts the 'wuapp.exe'.
• Right-click the just downloaded 'vista-reg-hack.cmd' and select 'run as admin'
• The command prompt should open now, Windows Update should give a life sign and asks you to restart your system. Listen to your PC ;-)
• After the restart, start 'Windows Update' and install the newly appeared 'KB938371'. Again you have to restart your PC.
  
• Another new update appears now: 'KB937287'. Simply install that aswell.
  
• What comes now? You guessed right: RESTART.
• After four restarts, it is now time to start 'Windows Update' one last time. Oh look what's there: 'KB936330' aka Windows Vista Service Pack 1 :)
• In case the Service Pack does not appear at the first try, simply click on 'search for updates' for several times. The download size can vary between 60-600 MB.
  
• All you have to do now is to follow the instruction that will appear on your screen.
• Et voila, that's it.

Have fun :o)

How to increase Vista file transfer speed

Maybe I am sure you noticed that the file transfer rate in Vista isn't really faster than than in Windows XP. I would even say it is way slower...

Hmm, seems like Mircosoft noticed that. As a beta tester of the new Windows Server 2008 Microsoft released the two new hot fixes KB938194 and KB938979 on July 31 which are not open for the public yet. The latter uses some new algorithms to accelerate file transfer.

After some tests, I come to the conclusion that it really boosts the transfer rate by 50-80%.

So lets hope "normal" users don't have to wait till Windows Vista Service Pack ;-)

***********************UPDATE***********************
Here comes the download link for the two updates. But Remember, it is still beta.

Vista 0x800704c8 error

Well, you got Windows Vista right from the beginning as an early adaptor, and because there were so few anti-virus programms for Vista out there, you decided to use the new shiny Windows Live One Care.
Everything worked fine and maybe you thought something like:"Wow, not bad."
But then there appeared sometimes a cryptic error code 0x800704c8...

So, "what this?" you might think...
Well I did some research and found out this is a known issue at Microsoft and it appears when the user tries to copy data from a removable storage device like USB sticks, portable HDDs or even DVDs/CDs.

So 'their' conclusion is: "It is caused by a bug between VISTA and One Care" but by now it should have been fixed. As for me, the error didn't occur on my laptop for some time now...

Update your Windows XP to Windows Vista

Well, you are a proud owner of the newly released Vista and want to upgrade your old Windows XP machine to Windows Vista? As for me, I tried several Vista RC (Release Candidates) and pre beta builds in the last 2 years but for the more common user this could become a pain in the ass a little bit more difficult.

For that reason Microsoft released two nice usefull tools.
The one is called WindowsVistaUpgradeAdvisor and the other one is Windows Easy Transfer for Windows XP and Windows 2000.
Well i guess the names make it quite clear what these applications do.

The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor scans your system for installed software and hardware and tells you after the scanning process if programs will run in Vista, or if there is a need to reinstall them. As for me there was some trouble with the Vodafone Connect Now software, that was needed for using UMTS on my notebook. So I decided to wait for a Vista version of the application. Drivers are scanned too, so you will know in advance what vista compatible drivers you should get.



As for the Windows Easy Transfer for Windows XP and Windows 2000 its one of these simple programms that can make the admin's life so much easier. It "simply" backups the user and configuration files from your Windows XP PC and make them Vista compatible.


Seems, like Microsoft has done something really good in releasing this easy to handle tools.


Downloads:
Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor
Windows Easy Transfer