Anti-Virus Applications with Known Issues

• Norton 2009
• McAfee
• AVG
• Avira
• ESET NOD32 4.0 (User reported issues)

Anti-Virus Applications 100% Compatible with Sysprep

• Microsoft Forefront
• Microsoft Security Essentials

And yes, you probably noticed that both applications are made by Microsoft, go figure. If anyone notices any other anti-virus programs that are causing issues with sysprep please comment on here. Or if you have workaround for these anti-virus apps and sysprep working together please comment.

Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Alternative

CHANGES/UPDATES AS OF NOVEMBER 12, 2009

• Added new Windows 7 winpe.bmp wallpaper for WinPE 3.0 Boot Environment, both x32 and x64.
• Added new drivers for WinPE 3.0 environment including some netbooks and HP eCopy machines, x32.
• Added the newest stable version of GimageX v2.0.17, x32 and x64.
• Removed GHOST from packages, x32 and x64.

Also, if you have enjoyed my site or gotten useful information from it; even if I saved you an hour from compiling different information then I have accomplished my goal. However, I am now getting 10-20 emails per day asking questions about sysprepping, Windows 7 deployment, etc. It is getting hard to keep up. And with this increase in traffic comes an increase in bandwidth. If I have helped you in any way please feel free to donate any amount on the right hand side so I can keep this blog going. I have some great new tutorials planned as I jump deep into the Acresso’s AdminStudio 9.5 Repackager for Windows 7 x64.

This is assuming you are already using Microsoft Outlook 2007 for everything.
The first thing I tried with the Droid was syncing my personal IMAP account with the device. Then I realized that wasn’t going to sync my contacts, calendar, etc.
So I removed the IMAP account and then tried syncing my Microsoft Exchange account. This worked great and pulled contacts down, calendar items (buggy), and emails. But then I realized there were still nice little features missing. Because it is Google OS obviously they are wanting you to use Gmail (their product).

So I decided to give the GOOGLE APPS a test trial run, accompanied by Google App Sync. And let me just say, it is amazing!!!!

Functions working:

• Microsoft Outlook 2007 is syncing flawlessly with my DROID
  (Email, Email folders, Contacts, Calendar Items)
• Using my own business email account (brian@innovativepixels.com) for all gmail functions (requires changing MX records over to GMAIL). Not using @gmail.com for anything. This means that all masking of email is fixed.
• A plus with using GMAIL as app on the DROID over standard email client is that I can now use an email signature from the phone, such as (Sent from my DROID).
• The Google App Sync will export and import automatically all of your current Outlook information into your newly hosted GMAIL email account. Basically it asks you for Outlook Profile to use for your new account and then it takes a couple minutes and migrates all your data over. No manual migration necessary.
• Another plus with using GMAIL app on DROID is that my emails are now stacked in conversations, like they are in GMAIL web client. Saves space on DROID for viewing.
• Everything just seems to work faster and better when going through Google Apps. Also calendar is not buggy anymore.
• Ability to see all my folders/cabinet and then be able to move emails to them when I receive them on my DROID. Your Outlook folders are converted into “LABELS” on your DROID. They still work the same as folders, but are just called something different. All changes sync to my Microsoft Outlook 2007 and to online Gmail.

The Google APPs costs $50 per user per year but it is worth every penny for me. My entire Microsoft Outlook 2007 is now syncing flawlessly with my DROID, very fast, with all the functions and features of GMAIL but without the GMAIL branding. You definitely want to give it a try. 30 day trial is free and they don’t bill you for first 30 days.

VERIZON WIRELESS DROID

Step #1

Unplug your Zune from USB and close your Zune software.

Step #2

Go to your control panel.

Zune Control Panel

Step #3

Click on Clock, Language, and Region

Zune Region Settings

Step #4

Click on “change location”.

Zune Change Location

Step #5

Change your location to “United Kingdom”.

Zune UK

Step #6

Now plug your Zune back in and launch the Zune software. Go to settings at top right and then to “Player Update” on left hand side.

Zune Player Update

Step #7

It should now ask you to upgrade player to 4.3. Select “Upgrade”. This will take a minute or two.

Step #8

You should now see a confirmation screen saying your player is fully up to date.

Zune Player 4.3

Step #9

You can now go back to control panel and change your region back to US.

Windows 7 Resource Kit

Here is the layout of the book:

Chapter 1: Overview of Windows 7 Improvements
Chapter 2: Security in Windows 7
Chapter 3: Deployment Platform
Chapter 4: Planning Deployment
Chapter 5: Testing Application Compatibility
Chapter 6: Developing Disk Images
Chapter 7: Migrating User State Data
Chapter 8: Deploying Applications
Chapter 9: Preparing Windows PE
Chapter 10: Configuring Windows Deployment Services
Chapter 11: Using Volume Activation
Chapter 12: Deploying with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
Chapter 13: Overview of Management Tools
Chapter 14: Managing the Desktop Environment
Chapter 15: Managing Users and User Data
Chapter 16: Managing Disks and File Systems
Chapter 17: Managing Devices and Services
Chapter 18: Managing Printing
Chapter 19: Managing Search
Chapter 20: Managing Windows Internet Explorer
Chapter 21: Maintaining Desktop Health
Chapter 22: Supporting Users with Remote Assistance
Chapter 23: Managing Software Updates
Chapter 24: Managing Client Protection
Chapter 25: Configuring Windows Networking
Chapter 26: Configuring Windows Firewall and IPsec
Chapter 27: Connecting Remote Users and Networks
Chapter 28: Deploying IPv6
Chapter 29: Configuring Startup and Troubleshooting Startup Issues
Chapter 30: Troubleshooting Hardware, Driver, and Disk Issues
Chapter 31: Troubleshooting Network Issues
Chapter 32: Troubleshooting Stop Messages

In my opinion this book could be priced a lot higher for all the information it has in it. If you are nerdy enough this would make a great stocking stuffer

“Security Warning – Run only scripts that you trust. While scripts from the Internet can be useful, this script can potentially harm your computer. Do you want to run –.ps1? [D] Do not run [R] Run once [S] Suspend [?] Help (default is “D”):

Step #1

The first thing you need to do is launch Windows Powershell.

Step #2

Then enter the following commands:

get-executionpolicy

set-executionpolicy bypass

Powershell Trust Scripts

Now launch your script and enjoy not seeing that annoying message come up.

What we can hope for is that Microsoft mention’s VCSY in press conference and then things will really skyrocket. Also, Windows 7 has already become Amazon’s biggest pre-order to date; outselling Harry Potter.

“Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. (VCSY) is a provider of Internet core technologies, administrative software, and derivative software application products through its distribution network.
VCSY’s primary Internet core technologies include SiteFlash™, ResponseFlash™, and the Emily XML Scripting Language, which can be used to build web services.
VCSY’s main administrative software product is emPath®, which is designed to handle the most complex Payroll and Human Resources challenges.”

(Taken from www.vcsy.com.

Microsoft settled on VCSY’s 744 patent which looks to be all that Microsoft’s Cloud Computing Platform Azure is. Read the latest from the Chicago Tribune about Microsoft’s endeavor into Cloud Computing:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-mon-burns-microsoft-1012-oct12,0,3048264.column

In the most recent Microsoft 10-K from July 30th, Microsoft has a credit facility that was taken right after the VCSY settlement which was originally set to expire on March 22nd but had been extended to November 6th, right before the Microsoft PDC.
“This credit facility expires on November 6, 2009.”

I guess we will have to wait till November and see. I know that I have already grabbed a couple thousand shares of VCSY just in case. They are currently at $0.02 so you don’t have very much to lose. Leave a comment if you would like an invite to Sharebuilder with free $25.00 to start trading with.

Vertical Computer Systems

Microsoft Office 2007

Step #1

First create two different folders, one for your original office install and the second for your SP2 files. To keep things simply, lets just make them on your desktop, a folder called “Office07″ and a folder called “SP2″.

Create Office Folders

Step #2

You now need to copy the contents of your original office install to the “Office07″ folder on your desktop. If you have an ISO, simply extract that with either 7-Zip or WinRar; or if you have it on a DVD, stick that into your computer, browse to the drive, and copy the contents over.

Office 2007 Contents

Step #3

Now you need to download SP2 for Microsoft Office if you don’t already have it. The download link is here. I would just download it to your desktop.

Download Office SP2

Step #4

Now open up a command prompt window on your desktop. (Hold shift and right click on your desktop and select Open Command Prompt Windows Here)

Step #5

You you are going to extract the SP2 exe which you downloaded earlier. In your command prompt window type: office2007sp2-kb953195-fullfile-en-us.exe /extract:”C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\Desktop\SP2″ (make sure you put in your username)

Extracting Office 2007 SP2

Step #6

You should now be prompted with the EULA. Simply check the box and click next. It will extract SP2 into that SP2 folder on your desktop.

Office 2007 SP2 EULA

Step #7

Now simply copy the contents of the SP2 folder on your desktop to the UPDATES folder within the Office07 folder on your desktop (Office07\Updates). Then you are finished. When you run the setup for Office, (setup.exe) it will now install SP2 while it installs Office 2007.

Microsoft OneNote 2010 Icon

Step #1

Launch Microsoft OneNote 2010. If you have not yet created a notebook, on the left hand side right click and select “create new notebook.”

Step #2

Once you have a notebook created you will need to go up to the File Menu, which is the big circle in the top left hand side, and then “Options”.

Microsoft OneNote 2010 - Options

Step #3

Then go down to the save and backup option in the list. You can change the Backup Folder and the Default Notebook Location. Make sure they are going to two different physical places; not just different folders on the same hard drive. This way if your hard drive dies, you will still have a copy of your OneNote Notebooks.

Microsoft OneNote 2010 - Save & Backup Location

Step #4

Now, slightly below that option select “Back Up All Notebooks Now” to test and verify they are being saved to the two different locations.