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Installing PHP 5 and Apache 2.2 on Vista June 25, 2008

Posted by Bryan in : Coding, How-to, Microsoft, QuickTips , 1 comment so far

Sometimes you want to get things done right and sometimes you just want to get them done. When your installing a PHP 5 and Apache 2.2 development setup on Windows Vista using the automatic installers, it may seem like neither one of these is an option. This quick tip is going to save you a lot of time and trouble.
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Empty that Tray! Running lean and clean… July 23, 2007

Posted by Jeff in : DIY, How-to, Microsoft, Tips , 1 comment so far

Yesterday, I had a service call, one of the “standards” as I like to call them.  A slow PC.  I got on-site, and looked at the usual suspects.  There were no viruses or spyware, but there were a dozen little icons in the system tray.  NO WONDER!  All this junk loading, XP was choking!

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Back up that hard drive, Part 2 June 22, 2007

Posted by Beth in : How-to, Tips , add a comment

These are statements I’ve heard on the job that I never want any of you to have to utter:

“I thought I was backing up regularly, but when my computer crashed and we tried to upload the backup files, nothing was there!!”

“Yeah, I back up. How often? Every 6 months or so.”

“I sent my computer to [insert computer company name] for a keyboard fix and they had to replace my motherboard and OMG WHERE ARE MY FILES???”

“Back up? What does that mean, back up?”

You shouldn’t be thinking about backing up for the first time when your computer crashes. By then, it may be too late. Get in the habit of regularly backing up while your computer is still in good health, and you’ll be glad you did if it ever fails. (more…)

Fix your database CSV report woes using Excel June 19, 2007

Posted by Beth in : How-to, Microsoft, Tips , add a comment

This article refers to Excel 2003, but should apply to most other versions as well.

excel.gifI work for a large company that uses a vast mainframe system to track data. We’ve got programmers who’ve written fabulous scripts, so that we can just go click a button, make a couple of choices, and BAM - there’s a CSV file with the data we need to analyze. Problem is, the data is often not in a very useful format. The names are all upper case, first name and last name are in the same cell, phone numbers are regarded as generic numbers and are dropping zeros, etc. What a lot of people at my company don’t know, and that I try to help them learn, is that Excel has functionality specifically to help you work around these problems. (more…)

Fixing the Quicken 2007 Display Draw Issue May 30, 2007

Posted by Jeff in : How-to , add a comment

If you’re like me, you use quicken.  Well, If you have read my last posts, you realize that I don’t upgrade just for the sake of upgrading.  My theory is “Don’t fix what’s working”.  Well, Intuit has forced me to upgrade from 2004 (which was working just fine, thank you!), to 2007.  The reason they give is that they no longer support 2004’s bank update.  

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How To Email Correctly, and Improve Your Social Standing May 20, 2007

Posted by Jeff in : How-to, Humor, Opinion , add a comment

In this world of rushing around, it seems that we no longer have time to do things properly. Being busy is no excuse for doing things half-a**ed - you must use your whole a**. Give it your ALL and put your best foot forward. This is true for email. Email is your frontline expression of who you are, and it says a lot about how you conduct your affairs.

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How-to: Build your server for the future May 13, 2007

Posted by Jeff in : DIY, How-to, New Products , add a comment

It amazes me how many times I walk into a new client and see the same thing - they ran out of room on their server because the system partition is too small. It reminds me of those silly “Plan Ahead” posters that were all the rage in the ’70s, where the words ran across the bottom, then had to kinda take a turn up the side a little. But it’s good advice to plan ahead, instead of buying some pre-canned thing that Dell offers. Nothing wrong with Dell, in fact, their service is great, but glitz it up a little. Here’s some things to remember from a battle-hardened IT guy that will make your life with your new server a bit more bearable. I will be touching on generalities here, so you can elaborate on my points for your own needs.

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How-to: Find “lost” Windows Vista Drivers when adding a new device May 9, 2007

Posted by Liz in : How-to, Microsoft , 21 comments

When trying to install a new device (like a USB mouse, printer, video card, etc.), Windows Vista might report that there is “no driver found for you device [sic]” and/or will not display the pre-installed Vista OEM drivers. Even by manually selecting the driver, you will still get the “no driver found…” error. This also tends to happen with HP printers (as we know their drivers are bulky and complex). You will get a red X at the end or it won’t find the drivers - again.

This is caused by a corrupted INFCACHE.1 file. This file is hidden, has restricted access, and can be found in “c:\windows\inf”. This file stores the location of drivers and their INF files. (more…)

How-to: Fix your Flash in a flash May 6, 2007

Posted by Liz in : How-to , add a comment

Has your Flash stopped working on YouTube or Newgrounds or some other such site of funnery? Here’s how to fix it whether your computing style is “British royalty” or “Vlad the Impaler.” (more…)

Using eBay - Rules for Avoiding Idiots May 3, 2007

Posted by Jeff in : How-to, Humor, Opinion , add a comment

ebay.gifI’ve been posting things on eBay since 1998, and I can definitely say, it can be an idiot magnet.  One rule I have: the cheaper the item is, the more of a pain the buyer is likely to be. I will try to express some of the pitfalls I’ve experienced and hopefully you can be the wiser for it.  Please read on…

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