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  • (January 12, 2023, 01:18:11 AM)

Author Topic: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things  (Read 3202 times)

xolik

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Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« on: January 29, 2010, 05:59:29 PM »

I wanted to kick off a thread that we can use to post general tech tips we've come across in our lives. Simple tricks you've learned to optimize systems and unusual fixes you've stumbled across for problems.

I'll get this trainwreck started!

If you're running a Windows OS, like me, and like to keep your "C" drive as lean as possible, one good way to trim up about one gig of disk space is to relocate the Windows\ServicePackFiles folder.

You could just flat out delete the folder, but that's not recommended because if Windows needs to repair a system file, it'll try to pull a copy of it from that folder and if it's not there, it'll ask for the service pack CD, which you probably won't have handy.

What I've done is a cut and paste job on the ServicePackFiles folder and dumped it onto my secondary hard drive. Then you'll need to make a small change to the registry to point to where you moved the folder to. The value you're looking for is "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\SourcePath" and yes, this can be a UNC value. You'll want to update the ServicePackCachePath and ServicePackSourcePath values as well.

Of course, if you'd still like to get rid of it entirely, you could just burn that folder onto a CD or DVD and use that if Windows ever requests it.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2010, 06:01:11 PM by xolik »
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12AX7

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2010, 09:47:55 AM »

Anyone know how to make Chrome play an mp3 link instead of trying to download it when you left click on it? I download with right-click>Save As; but all of a sudden left-clicking an mp3 link tries to Save. I don't want that; I just want to listen. No idea what I may have done to change anything; I havent done anything intentionally.
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Clear_Runway

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2010, 05:57:49 PM »

I need office 2007 for a class, and it wont install. my computer came with a trial version, but I got rid of that months ago, and now that Ive actually bought the stupid thing it won't install. it just says it encountered an error during setup, no error code or anything. I hate MS.
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xolik

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2010, 07:20:52 PM »

I need office 2007 for a class, and it wont install. my computer came with a trial version, but I got rid of that months ago, and now that Ive actually bought the stupid thing it won't install. it just says it encountered an error during setup, no error code or anything. I hate MS.

I suspect you have some leftover registry entries on your comp that thinks the trial version is still hanging around. Have you tried a registry cleaner on it? I've used Abexo free version and it worked pretty well. Of course you should always back up your registry before messing with it. Fortunately the program will do that for you as well.
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Novice

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2010, 08:33:46 PM »

CCleaner is a good one! Also backs up your registry before cleaning it up a bit. It has some other features that clean up old browser / Windows files.
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Clear_Runway

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2010, 11:45:27 PM »

tried ccleaner. didnt work. lots of other crap cleaned up though.
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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2010, 02:00:06 AM »

format and reinstall windows then office '07

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2010, 05:06:19 AM »


my sisters boyfriend emailed me yesterday about the exact same thing!
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Clear_Runway

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2010, 10:51:32 AM »

format and reinstall windows then office '07

...yeah...like that's an option...
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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2010, 09:37:27 PM »

I've found that if your using DOS 6.0 you can make a batch file.  I called it d.bat and put it into the c:/dos  The contents were something like dir /w /p

So to get the contents in a nice orderly listing I'd just type d where ever I was instead of wasting my time typing out dir

I hope that helps someone out there.   :lol:
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ivan

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2010, 10:50:53 PM »

Oh, for corn's sake.
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xolik

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2010, 12:45:51 AM »

Tool.bat
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ivan

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2010, 02:10:36 AM »

My thoughts exactly.
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"I TYPE 120 WORDS PER MINUTE, BUT IT'S IN MY OWN LANGUAGE!"  -Detta

xolik: WHERE IS OBAMA'S GIFT CERTIFICATE?
Demosthenes: Is that from the gifters movement?


Detta: Crappy old shorts and a tank top.  This is how I dress for work. Because my job is to get puked on.
Demosthenes: So is mine.  I work in IT.


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12AX7

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Re: Tech Tips and Other Fun Things
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2010, 10:26:50 AM »

hehe...  Im gonna start using that term.

  "You're 'bout as fucked up as a toolbat"  instead of football bat.
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