Owner: VistaJuice.com - Squeezing out the best form Windows Vista Experience URL:http://www.vistajuice.com/ Join Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:29:03 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Squeezing out the best from Windows Vista Experience - the best place to find all about latest news, tips, tricks and workarounds about Vista! Extend your knowledge, get a first look at things to come! Site statistics:Click here
DriverMax 2.0 2007-02-18 17:53:23 If you are in a need of a free driver manager for both Windows VISTA and XP here it is. DriverMax
offers you the ability to backup and restore all of the drivers on your PC and it makes reinstalling drivers in Windows really easy because within minutes you can reinstall all of the drivers you had on your system and spend time on other things - like reinstalling the applications. Even though both Vista and XP have the ability to RollBack the driver (in case you install a non-compatible one), I still like to use DriverMax - since it allows me to have all of the working drivers safely backed up. Also, I have 2 completely identical machines - therefore, installing drivers from one to another is now easier than ever. Get DriverMax at this Web site for free!
Pretty FireFox in Vista 2007-02-18 17:33:33 So if you are really into using FireFox instead of IE, you will definitely like this FireFox 2.0+ theme. It makes FireFox looks really beautiful and more "at home" in Vista
: Check it and get it here. Read more:Pretty
Solution for Updating the BIOS on Windows Vista x64 Machines 2007-02-17 16:39:15 As you probably heard or noticed if you are running Vista
, or any other 64bit Windows
OS, it's almost impossible to update your BIOS since most of the manufacturers include 32bit executables which you can't really run on 64bit OS. So, no BIOS Update for you. Not so fast. Thanks to Robert McLaws from WindowsNow.com, and the MSFN.org (which lead him to the solution), you can do it. Here are the steps: So here, for your reading enjoyment, is the Definitive Guide to creating a Windows Vista
Bootable USB Key. You'll need a key with a minimum of 256MB to make this happen. Download and install the Windows Automated Installation Kit. If the key is not already formatted FAT32, then do so. Copy everything in the "C:Program FilesWindows AIKToolsPEToolsx86" directory (except for the "EFI" folder, ESPECIALLY if you only have a 256MB key) to the root of the key. This is IMPORTANT. "bootmgr" must be in the root, and "boot" muse be a 1st level folder. Open an Administrative comm Read more:Solution
Live Traffic SideBar Gadget is Out 2007-02-17 16:29:30 So, I wrote about it here, and it was about the time for it to arrive. Donavon West got us a new nice Gadget
which you can read more about right here: http://livegadgets.net/#blog_2bd741cf-bf22-4112-8a1a-74d8868a827e Get it here.
DreamScene and DeskScapes in action 2007-02-16 04:38:06 Ok, here is a short video made by me of DreamScene
with StarDock's DeskScapes in action. Pictures just do not do it right, so I decided on getting this captured nicely - Screw the Low Quality YouTube Video! Enjoy full power of Wink :) Both "dreams" are available for download at http://dream.wincustomize.com/ with bunch of other also available. I got you a video in a nice big 12 meg file, playable straight from your browser window. Just click below, new page will open and - Enjoy :) I must say, first two friends of mine when they saw this all they said was "WOW". I guess Microsoft was right - The Wow really DOES start NOW (that the DreamScenes are out) :) Patience - it's 12 megs so let it load...It will open in a new page though :)
Windows Vista Services 2007-02-15 23:20:15 The other day, I stumbled upon an amazing overview of all WindowsVistaServices
and great in-depth details about them. On this site you can find out all about a particular service, wit it's used for, if it is required by any other service, and should you disable it. Just an overwhelming overview - great if you need to speed up your computer by disabling couple of not-needed services. Source: http://www.speedyvista.com/services.html Read more:Windows Vista
Windows Easy Transfer Companion (Beta) 2007-02-15 22:04:48 Windows
Easy Transfer Companion
enables you to automatically transfer your most important programs from your Windows XP-based PC to your new Windows Vista-based PC. The software will move more than 100 of the most popular programs, as well as many others that you may have installed. You have complete control over selecting which programs to transfer, so only the programs you care about will move. The software will alert you if some programs may not be able to transfer, or may not transfer with high confidence. Most security software is not able to transfer due to technical reasons. Easy Transfer Companion is designed to be used in addition to Windows Easy Transfer - which is part of Windows Vista and automatically transfers your data and settings. Nice thing if you are looking for a way to transfer existing applications without need to do all of the installing yourself :) To get more info check out out the source, and for a download, click here.
Windows DreamScene Preview is Available Now 2007-02-15 21:58:13 It seems that the DreamScene
is not yet complete, but Microsoft is giving us all some (well deserved) love by making the DreamScene Technical Preview
available in the Windows
Update. So all of you with Vista Ultimate editions - fire up that Windows Update and get your groove on. Also - StarDock just released the DeskScapes, a DreamScene add-on which enables you to have a more dynamic content in the background besides the video itself! Simply - WOW :)
Source: WindowsUltimate.com Get your DeskScapes at dream.WinCustomize.com
Are you running Vista as a 30 day Trial? 2007-02-15 20:40:54 All of you who got Vista
some time in January - say 24th like I did in Microcenter, if you haven't activated it yet and are running
in a 30 day trial period - you all know it's soon to expire. Now, if you need more time to decide if you should use keep it or return it, do not bother activating just yet - you can prolong the activation up to 120 days! It's quite simple really, so here is the deal: Open start menu, type in cmd, but don't hit the enter just yet. Hold down the [CTRL] + [SHIFT] and then click on the [ENTER] button. This will run the command prompt in the elevated (i.e. administrator) mode. You have to switch the command-line shell handler in order not to get annoying errors etc, so type the following command and press [Enter]: cscript /h:cscript Now, it's time to rearm the activation, effectively adding another 30 days to the trial. Type the following followed by the [Enter] key of course: slmgr -rearm That's it ... Restart your computer and another 30 days will be Read more:Trial
Great Savings on Web Hosting 50% discount! 2007-02-14 01:54:06 I know I didn't write in some time - but fear not - I am just collecting all of the info and sucking it in like a sponge. Tomorrow you'll get a lot more info about Vista, but for now I just wanted to share a Valentine's deal with you: Here at Peconi Hosting
we are giving out ALL of the Shared Hosting Plans with a 50% discount thanks to the Valentine's day - so there's your chance to get a good hosting at a really, and I mean REALLY LOW PRICE! Cheers, Petar Read more:Great
, Savings
, Web Hosting
Vista's Online Distribution Gotchas 2007-02-08 06:50:21 Joe Wilcox wrote on Microsoft-Watch.com yesterday about something quite important for those of you who are planning to upgrade from XP to Vista
64bit. According to him, Microsoft has acknowledged that there is in fact a problem: "The 64-bit Windows Vista install is actually a 64-bit install executable. Therefore, you must be running a 64-bit operating system." So, if you are running a 32bit XP system - maybe the only way for you to install 64bit version of Vista from an upgrade DVD is to follow that Workaround I talked about some days ago, especially installing Vista twice - first as a 30 day trial, and then again as an upgrade using your real product key. To refresh your memory - check this article. So, there yo have it ... On the other note, I am working on an article which I will publish some time soon about a first real-life experience of running vista after a month. Pros, cons, etc. I do have couple of things I really do not like which make those posts about unfinished product tru
Will Vista Run Your Games? 2007-02-07 20:07:38 I had no problems with running my games, and most important one - Counter Strike Source runs same as it does in XP, so I'm happy. I also should note that my Sony Vaio SZ-370 laptop has only a 64MB Video Card (Nvidia 7400 Go) but everything - including full Aero experience and high-end games - run without a hitch! So, those reviews telling you that you HAVE to have 128MB graphics card to enjoy all of the Vista
experience - are not true... 64MB does a really good job, and 128MB and more will just do even a better job in your gaming experience. If you are interested in an in-depth review on how Games
perform under Vista, head over to ExtremeTech and check out Jason Cross' review. Source: click here
Snip-It Add-On for Internet Explorer 2007-02-07 04:07:05 How many times did you select a text on a web page, copied it to clipboard, went to your email program, started a new conversation, and pasted it in the body of the message to send off to a friend? I do it every single day - and finally there is an easier way. Hey, it rhymes, anyway: get Snip-It Addon for IE. It supports these email clients/apps:
Web Based:
Gmail
HotMail
Yahoo
Desktop Based
Default Mail Client for IE
Outlook
It's available right here, from Microsoft, for free:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4a0a5245-fbc6-4330-9b43-e31aa0e2a248&DisplayLang=en Cheers. Read more:Internet
, Explorer
Short on good Gadgets in a SideBar? 2007-02-07 03:54:42 The sad truth is that there is just not that many gadgets available for our new and shiny Vista SideBar, while on the other side of the pond - Google, Yahoo and other's have a gazilion to choose from. No fear my friends, Amnesty Widgets come to aid us with their new Amnesty Generator 0.5b. It allows you to easily convert millions of web widgets, games and videos into gadgets for your sidebar. Now you can place Google gadgets, Grazr RSS readers, YouTube videos and more onto your Sidebar. Simply, copy and paste the HTML code for a web widget directly into Amnesty Generator and generate a new Sidebar gadget with the click of a button. Get it here: Amnesty Generator @ AmnestyWidgets.com Read more:Short
Nvidia Forceware Vista 100.65 WHQL (Beta) 2007-02-21 18:06:12 Nvidia has released yet another beta set of video drivers for Windows Vista
. This time, the release is International and WHQL certified. Included: WHQL Certified driver for GeForce 8800, GeForce 7 series, and GeForce 6 series GPUs Beta driver for NVIDIA SLIâ„¢ support for GeForce 8800 GTX/GTS GPUs This driver supports the following features: Single GPU support DirectX 9 support for GeForce 6/7/8 series GPUs DirectX 10 support for GeForce 8800 GPUs OpenGL support for GeForce 6/7/8 series GPUs NVIDIA SLI support DirectX 9 support for GeForce 8800 GPUs OpenGL support for GeForce 8800 GPUs DirectX 9 and OpenGL NVIDIA SLI support for GeForce 6 and 7 series GPUs and DirectX 10 NVIDIA SLI support for GeForce 8800 GPUs will be available in a future driver Download: 32-bit (54.3MB) | 64-bit (67.1MB) Via: NeoWin.net
Windows Vista and Old Network Router Compatibility 2007-02-21 16:40:58 Via Vista
Horizons we get the following info about some network routers and Vista issues: Some old network routers might not be compatible with some of Windows
Vista's new networking features. Microsoft has issued knowledge base article kb932134 In short, Vista has a new networking stack that provides for increased traffic and IPv6 technologies that older routers can't handle. If you want to use these features, you may be able to upgrade your router firmware if the router is fairly new or you may just have to get a new router. The symptoms of incompatibility are: Page errors occur when you surf the Internet. Network performance is reduced. The network router may stop functioning, and you must reset the router. Updated firmware for popular routers can be found via these links: D-Link Windows Vista
Support Linksys Support for Microsoft Windows Vista NETGEAR Product compatibility for Microsoft Windows Vista In my case, the old LinkSys wireless router 54G, which I purchased over 3 y Read more:Router
1 month with Vista - My Thoughts 2007-02-21 21:11:36 It's been one month now since I first installed Vista
on my Sony Vaio SZ-370 Notebook. Here is what I found that I really love and hate about Vista. Please make sure to read "The best things about Vista - My Two Cents". What I wrote about there still stands. In this post I will just expand more on things I do like - as an add-on to the previous post mentioned, and talk about some things I do not like. Installation I knew right away, a thing that's been buzzing around the net for a week or so now, Microsoft's Express Upgrade will be all but Express in the end. It is just logical, so even though I qualify for en Express Upgrade from Sony, on the 24th of January I went down to the Microcenter and got myself a nice Vista Ultimate OEM. I should say my girlfriend Sali actually bought it for me since I could not stop bragging about it for months before (thanks babe).
I did not want to upgrade my XP, since from earlier experiences with upgrading other operating systems to XP the outcome w
Start++ is a cool little add-on to Vista 2007-02-23 05:46:36 Brandon Paddock, a guy I quoted on couple of things before for cool tips and opinions, just made available a nice little
freeware app for Vista
. He calls it Start
++, and it surely is the right name for it. All of you who used Windows Desktop search on XP should know about those cool little shortcuts: type "g search terms" to search Google on the provided search terms. You could also launch programs, run scripts with parameters and more. Now, in Vista, we have the search integrated and some of this functionality provided straight from the Start Menu search bar - but, it lacks the shortcut functionality that Deskbar provided. Brandon expands Vista's own Search bar by enabling this once and again for us + he adds couple of cool new things too: typing "w genetics", searches the WikiPedia on the term 'genetics'. typing "g something", searches the Google for what that 'something' and my favorite: typing "sudo programNameOfYourChoice" will run that application with administrativ
An update for Start++ Issued 2007-02-24 00:11:08 Brandon got some help and tips from the comments on his Start
++ app so a new version 0.3 is out. For an update go here: http://brandonlive.com/startplusplus/download Also you may subscribe to Start++ updates via RSS
SONY SUCKS! 2007-02-24 18:30:13 Yesterday I was browsing around CompUSA and I noticed that there is a same laptop I have (Vaio SZ-370) but running Vista without any issues. Sony put a same laptop, tagged it as SZ-470 - and just installed Vista on it. The issue is that all of the Vista compatible driver updates for my model (SZ-370) ARE NOT available yet for me to download - but they are clearly available on the SZ-400 series support page. Why is Sony doing this? SZ-400 series are clearly exactly same as SZ-300 series hardware-wise - the only difference is that they run Vista out of the box. All of the drivers in SZ-400 would work just FINE with my notebook - but Sony is not making them available to me... I talked to Sony Representative over Live Chat - all he could tell me is - keep on checking the website for new updates to your model! Idiot! I hate SONY!
Are you sure you do not want Vista? IT'S SEXY! 2007-02-24 16:47:41 I4U news has some nice photos. I have no idea what's going on, but I do not even care, here, take a look, and then jump to the closest MicroCenter and get a copy! :)
Via MicrosBlog Read more:Vista
Bit Locker Drive Preparation Tool 2007-02-24 16:36:12 If you have considered running Bitlocker, Microsoft's drive encryption tool, but didn't want to bother with what it would take to setup your drives properly to support it, then you are in luck if you are running Windows Vista Ultimate edition or Enterprise edition Microsoft has made a tool just for you. The Bitlocker Drive Preparation Tool is designed to help convert your existing install of Windows Vista into a setup that supports Bitlocker drive encryption. Windows Vista Ultimate users can get this utility today as an ultimate extra from the Windows Update control panel applet and if you are a Windows Vista Enterprise customer you can head over the premier website and look under the tools section https://premier.microsoft.com/troubleshoot.aspx?taid=tools or contact Microsoft customer support. This tool will automatically create an S: drive that is 1.5 GB in size and move over the required boot files. This new partition Read more:Locker
Hey, hey - VistaJuice is getting some recognition 2007-02-26 19:20:52 It's really nice to be recognized for your work, and in my VistaJuice world, having a link back to a site is a really big thing. This time, we're on the front page news of Windows Connected blog! Thanks Corrine for allowing us to become a part of "Connected to Vista Bookmarks." For those who are unfamiliar with it, their goal is to "provide Windows Connected blog readers, subscribers and forum members with a master bookmark reference of reliable resources for locating information, help sites, tutorials and more on Windows Vista and related products." Check out www.WindowsConnected.com and their Forums as well! See all of the bookmarsks right here: Index: Connected to Vista Bookmarks Blogs and Community Forums Customizing Vista Features and Tutorials Internet Explorer 7 Microsoft Blogs Microsoft Websites Office 2007 and More Reviews and Collections Virtual PC 2007 Vista Compatible Antivirus Software Vista Security Help and Tutorials Vista Software, Drivers and Hardware A r
More Vista Wallpapers - Really Nice Ones too! :) 2007-02-26 18:04:01 Vista's wallpaper photographer Hamad Darwish published more of those nice photos we all like that come with Vista as backgrounds. If you need some nice wallpapers, and who doesn't, check out his site and get them. Correction thanks to Robert: The photos he talks about on his site are the ones available on Vista Starter Edition, for Hamid's photos go here. The photos above you can get here: http://www.windows-now.com/files/folders/extras/entry20940.aspx (thanks Robert)And Hamid's photos here: http://www.hamaddarwish.com/content/index.html Just for those interested, if you would like to be able to automatically make the same Photo Gallery he has on the site - simply get great Adobe's applicaiton called Photoshop Lightroom. It rocks! Via: Robert McLaw's Read more:Vista
, Wallpapers
Sony still sucks but here is a bit of a workaround :) 2007-02-26 16:01:21 In response to the last post I made about Sony
, new Vista compatible software/driver updates from Sony are still slow. This made me go around the Internet and look all over for some kind of solution, and guess what - I found it. It does not solve all of the issues, but a lot of them for sure. For one, my fingerprint login finally works again :) Here: Install the following FIRST:**a. Sony Utilities DLL Update**b. Sony Shared Library Update **Should be installed first no matter what, they are used by all the other Sony Utilities.c. VAIO Event Services Updated. SigmaTel High Def Audio Codec Updatee. VAIO Camera & Camera Utility Update f. S1/S2 Buttonsg. VAIO Power Managementh. Wireless Switching Utilityi. Texas Instruments® PCI7411 Integrated FlashMedia Controller Driver (XP driver - works fine)j. Sony® Visual Communication Camera VGP-VCC2 Driverk. ALPS Pointing Device (Touchpad) Driver and Control Utility (XP driver - works fine) l. UPek TouchStrip Driverm. GeForce Go7400 Drivers Read more:sucks
Dual-Boot Vista and XP 2007-02-28 19:30:20 One thign I noticed I never mentioned and it's quite important is that you are, of course, able to dual boot XP and Vista
. If you need a good how-to guide, please check out WindowsTalk's guide. It's really nice! Here: http://www.windowstalk.org/dual_boot_vista.htm
More useful calculator 2007-02-28 16:36:47 If you are like me then during the course of a day you probably use the windows calculator a lot. The truth is it hasn't change much since Windows 1.0!!! I know since I have Windows 1.0 running under Virtual PC 2007 - and I was amazed at how same the calc looks like :) Well, there is a nicer, better one. Not like the ones that you can get for Windows XP under the PowerToys section, but a bit different. It has a unit converter, as well and here is how it looks like: You can get it straight from Microsoft's web site here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=32b0d059-b53a-4dc9-8265-da47f157c091&displaylang=en Via: MicrosBlog.com
The Real Microsoft Ultimate Wireless Keyboard 2007-02-27 22:55:43 I wanted to write about this since some time ago, well since Feb 22nd when I read about it on Gizmodo, but never got a chance to do so. So here you go - a first post in our Hardware category - the one, the only, Microsoft
's Wireless
Entertainment Desktop 8000!!! This keyboard is simply beautiful. Nicely curved, backlit keys, backlit Windows Logo, a nice little "landing pad"/charging station for a mouse, shortcut keys for almost anything you might ever need - Simply Amazing! I like the fact you can turn the backlight on/off too ;) So, without further ado, head over to Gizmodo's Photo Gallery and check it out. Here is one snapshot of the beauty: Via: GizmodoAlso check: Micosoft's page about the product ~$250through Froogle If anyone is so kind and wants to get me one - feel free to donate to the PayPal fund on the right - I'll get it right away and take pictures of me with it as a proof ;) Read more:Ultimate
, Wireless Keyboard
About VistaJuice :) 2007-02-27 20:15:23 After 75 posts, over 10,000 unique visitors and about 1 month of being on-line, I think it is finally time to write a real post about Vista Juice :) As you may or may not know - we're here to "squeeze out the best from Windows Vista Experience" by bringing you all of the important news, tips, tricks, workarounds and such which will make your Vista experience a lot better one! The site is here to provide you an unbiased view to the new Vista world by showing you the bad tings too - not just all good ones. To use VistaJuice is quite easy - on the left side you have all of our sections, on the right side all of the tags as well as a really good integrated search - so there is no way for you not to find something I write about. A little bit about me: My name is Petar Smilajkov, mostly known as Peconi (read petsoni). I am a 25 year old self employed (php) Web Developer, and owner/founder of PeconiHosting.com... On the daily basis I use all of the operating systems aroun
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