I can’t speak for anyone else but it seems like everytime I look through a drawer or a box or something that may resemble a storage container I come across computer parts, software, books, etc. In the past I have just thrown it away. I remember I once put a working PC (that I no longer had a use for) on the side of the road for garbage. I am almost ashamed to tell that story now.
On the opposite end of the spectrum I had the chance in 2004 to run a computer recycling initiative and I have been an advocate of it since. So I thought today would be a good day to recommend some ideas for recycling your PC. No matter where you live, there are refurbishing centers and you can access a huge database just by visiting this site on the TechSoup site.
But before you just take out a hunk of mechanical junk to be reused, allow me to offer some tips (courtesy of TechSoup).
Determine if your old computer can be reused.
If you have a computer that is less then five years old, chances are that it can be put to good use by someone else. Rather than donate equipment directly to a charity or school, however, it is usually best for all involved if you can send it to a refurbisher, especially if you need to wipe your hard drive or are uncertain about the computer’s condition. Refurbishers will ensure that equipment they send to nonprofits and schools works well and runs legal copies of software, and that any e-waste is disposed of properly.
Recycle old and broken hardware.
Any equipment that is not working or is more than five years old should be tagged for recycling, i.e. responsible destruction.
Contact the refurbisher or recycler before donating.
Call the organization or check its Web site to ensure that it accepts the type of computer you plan to give away. Some refurbishing organizations, for example, will refuse anything older than a Pentium II. While you may be tempted to donate equipment directly to a favorite local school or charity, remember that refurbishers are generally better equipped to repair and upgrade computers. They will then pass on ready-to-use equipment to those who need it, often at little or no cost.
Remember the accessories.
If you can, include the keyboard, mouse, printer, modem, packaged software, or any other accessories you use with the computer. Schools and nonprofits can almost always put them to good use, and most organizations only accept complete systems.
If possible, keep the operating system intact.
If you are donating hardware with a preinstalled Microsoft operating system, keep in mind that the license is only valid when used with the machine on which it was originally installed. Since charitable organizations usually cannot afford to purchase and license new operating systems, a legal transfer (whereby the computer and operating system stay together) is always preferable. While Linux and Macintosh operating systems have different requirements, as a general rule, try to include the operating system software with all donated computers whenever possible.
Provide the original software media and documentation.
To ensure that the software transfer is legal, pass along the original disks, media, Certificate of Authenticity sticker (usually on the computer), user manual, and other documentation that came with the equipment.
If you clear your computer of personal information yourself, it’s best to use disk-cleaning software.
“Personal information” includes your Internet browser’s cache, cookies, history; your email contacts and messages; your documents; your recycle or trash folder; and all nontransferable software. The best way to clear this is with a disk-cleaning utility that overwrites all the sectors of your hard drives, making your data unrecoverable.
Follow computer delivery instructions.
Many recycling and refurbishing organizations have specific locations where equipment can be donated, while others have delivery instructions they expect donors to follow.
Keep a list of what you donated for your records.
Remember that tax season will always return — and you are likely eligible for a deduction if you donate to a nonprofit refurbisher. Most school or nonprofit refurbishers can provide a tax receipt upon request. Business donors can deduct the un-depreciated value of the computer, and individuals can deduct the current market value of a computer.
Plan for future donations.
Rescue a box from the recycling bin and use it to store the documents that came with your new computer, so that when the time comes to donate it, you’ll have everything in one place.
5. Purchase a 3rd party pop-up blocker. Out of all 5 solution, this is probably the best in terms of combination defense. It will stop pop-up advertising, stop spyware and erase web browsing tracks if used correctly. We recommend Pop-Up Stopper -or- STOPzilla.
Pros: These 3rd-party anti-popup products effectively block popup ads. They also prevent/erase spyware and adware without having to install separate anti-spyware software. These software products have no advertising on screen.
Cons: You can get the same functionality from many no-cost popup blockers and anti-spyware.
4. Your ISP likely offers a free 3rd party pop-up blocker. Ask them. Price! They are usually free. Many Internet Service Providers will often offer free software to stop pop-up advertising.
Pros: Free; these products are often promotional versions of high-quality paid products like Popup Killer or AdsGone.
Cons: Remember, “you get what you pay for.”
3. Install a Google or Yahoo anti-pop-up toolbar. This is a good and free choice if you are using Windows XP Service Pack 1. If not, search Google for their latest toolbar update. The pop-up blocker is generally packaged in the bar.
Pros: Both the Google Toolbar and Yahoo Toolbar offer 98% effective pop-up blocking (according to their advertisement), and extra search engine functions all at once.
Cons: As mentioned, these products have only partially-effective anti-spyware. You will still need to install your own additional 3rd-party anti-spyware software. Also, if you are concerned about digital conspiracies, Google Toolbar does report your web browsing habits back to its home servers in an attempt to do statistical market analysis.
2. Be sure to install XP Service Pack 2 and use the IE Pop-Up Blocker. For security reasons, you should have long since upgraded to Microsoft XP Service Pack 2. As you perhaps know, a “service pack” is really a patch that repairs deficiencies in the software . In this case, Microsoft created XP “SP2″ to patch several security leaks in both Windows and in the IE6 browser.
Pros: XP SP2 not only plugs 99% of the security holes in your Microsoft computer, but it also adds in some excellent built-in popup blocking to your IE6 browser. The new Integrated IE popup blocker is a favorite amongst most IE users.
Cons: Installation can cause you headaches if you are unprepared. Also, SP2 will pester you with overly-cautious security messages every 30 seconds until you disable them.
1. Switch to Firefox for your primary browser. This is our top suggestion for browsing the Web without pop-up advertising. The Mozilla Firefox browser not only has integrated popup blocking, but it is also a feature-rich tool for viewing web pages.
Pros: Firefox browser blocks popups, adware, and cookies. It allows specific popups through, upon your command. Firefox also has outstanding general browsing features, like tabbed pages, slick bookmarking features, integrated Google searching, larger screen viewing than IE, faster page transfers, and better security than IE.
Cons: About 2% of web pages will not render in Firefox, including ActiveX-intensive pages and some .asp pages.
Much has been made over Windows Vista and the impending discontinuation of XP. What is a consumer left to do when they can’t figure out their own operating system? In a desperate effort to be the proverbial Windex to their customer base, Microsoft has announced that they are offering unlimited toll-free tech support calls for compatibility and installation issues with Windows Vista (Service Pack 1) through March 2009, in nearly any country. To take advantage of the service though you will need to have your Product ID handy (right-click on My Computer > Properties), but it’s a nice last resort for you or anyone you don’t have time to troubleshoot for.
Summer is here. It isn’t coming. It isn’t just getting warmer. We are in the thick of it. Many of us are seeing humidity soaked days of 100+ degrees. We are all tempted to crank up the AC, drink a few more cold ones and basically burn energy like it is our job. But we all need to make a more conscious effort to conserve energy and conserve resources to slow the march of global warming. Hey, it saves money too and that is something we can all keep cool about.
I thought I would put together this list of things we can all do to cut our energy consumption this sizzling summer. It starts out pretty easy and then escalates into some more difficult challenges. I even included a list of five computer specific ways to really cut down. After you read ‘em though, let us know what you are doing this season to keep cool and be cool!
1. Resist the urge to live in a refrigerator. 78 degrees is plenty cool in the house. Turn down the AC and get a programmable thermostat so you’re only cooling the house when you really need to. 2. Air dry your dishes and clothes. The dryer and dish washer use a lot of energy– and the air does the drying job just as well. 3. Take shorter showers and do not take baths. Hot water heating is one of the major uses of energy in any home. Short showers are the way to go. Baths use much more water and heat than do baths (unless you’re taking 30 minute showers!). 4. Make sure you have energy-efficient lighting throughout your home. Everyone has heard about compact fluorescent lights by now. But are you up to date on LED lights? Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have come a long way, baby, and they are often 10 times more efficient than compact flourescents. 5. Ditch the beer fridge. It’s amazing how many homes have two refrigerators. Please do not use more than one fridge. And if you have an old model, get a newer Energy Star model. 6. Use ceiling fans or even floor fans rather than AC. They are much more energy-efficient and you can get very reasonably priced Energy Star models. 7. Get solar screens for your windows. These screens cut 75% of the heat coming through your windows, but don’t impact your visibility. 8. Plant trees! Placing deciduous trees on the South side of your home is a great way to block summer heat, but keep the sun shining on your home in the winter when you need the warmth. 9. Spend one night each week in candlelight. It’s romantic, fun and inspires new conversation. I think they smell pretty good as well, if you get the right ones. 10. Use a solar oven for some cooking. Yes these exist and yes, they really work! You don’t want that hot oven on in your house anyway. You can either buy a solar oven, or you can learn to make one yourself.
And now for the computer tips (for you geeks):
1. Visit the Energy Star Computer page. The page provides a link to an Excel document that lists every qualified computer. You can find computers by manufacturer, desktop or laptop system or model. Check this list before you buy, particularly if you are buying online and there is no sales person to help you find an Energy Star certified model.
2. Set the energy efficient mode. After you have your new computer at home, make sure you run it in the most energy efficient mode. Reduce power requirements by closing applications when they aren’t in use, by setting the screen brightness at the lowest comfortable level, and by putting it instantly into sleep mode when you know you will be away for a few minutes.
NOTE: A computer’s energy consumption depends on what you’re doing with it. Writing an email uses less energy than playing a graphics-heavy game. I’m not suggesting that you quit playing computer games, but you might think about dragging out the old board games once in a while instead.
3. Maintain and Upgrade. The majority of energy that goes into a computer is actually used during the manufacturing process. Once you have an energy efficient computer, take care to keep it in good running condition for as long as possible. Upgrade and fix when necessary so that the machine runs efficiently for the long term.
4. Don’t litter. When you get a new energy-efficient computer, dispose of the old one properly. Search in your area for a place that will recycle or reuse the computer parts so that the toxic materials in the old computer don’t end up in your local landfill.
Since beginning our partnership with Skype we have heard some great reviews and observations on just how powerful of a tool Skype really is. Today I received a letter from Michael Barrow, one of our Certified MinuteFix Techs. He writes:
I have recently taken more time to explore the Skype community as we eagerly await the next major build and product launch from them. Being pleasantly surprised at the variety, depth, and spirit of content in this great community I got to thinking, “how familiar am I really with the entire Skype universe?” So I started casually clicking through all the menus until I got bored and found the Tools > Do More menu. I then found all the latest utility software we call “Skype Extras” for users. Now I’m expecting these all will provide a multitude opportunities for MinuteFixers to support them in the future. In all I counted several dozen to play with including my own troublesome issue with the Cryptochat4skype extra. (Only after being politely teased for having an annoying message appear in our Technicians Chat Room.) The message simply says that all chat entries to this user will be scanned for malware and viruses. I Googled it and discovered the only way to get rid of it was to do a fresh install of Skype including searching for and deleting all Skype related folders. This was a great experience seeing as I now have the fix the caller who wants to remove the Crypto4chat extra but doesn’t know how. All in all I learned also I will have no reasons for idol time in the coming weeks since there are so many other “extras” for us as technicians to break and play with.
The best find of all was in the skype.com site. How many technicians do we know have that ugly caller story? I mean the caller that would not seem satisfied regardless of how good our service was? Yes, that one caller we all remember and probably may never forget. The next question that comes to mind is. What can we do after the call is over? Sure we can journal the call sequence and reflect what we could of done otherwise or reposed on things we could have said or presented differently to the caller. Most importantly, this page I found in the halls of skype.com reminded me what we really need as support technicians. And that is resolution on every case we take, regardless of the final outcome. Not only did I find this downright fun watch but therapeutic for every computer user including the seasoned technician and for the green eared newbie. Enjoy Minute Peeps. Until my next post….
It is so tempting as a customer service agent in any industry not to become passive or complacent when a particular call lasts too long or you are just exhausted or there seems to be no real answer to the problem. However, that is when the cream rises to the top and true legends are made. I think we may have seen our first legend last night/this morning.
From the dark computer dens of Russia to the fast paced city of New York comes a young man with confidence abounding and skill to match. He is quick to comment on his ego and his inability to accept the word “no” or to be beaten by a problem. He is a friendly PC tech support person with the determination of a frenzied hacker. This morning he took a call starting at 2 am. Each time the customer rebooted Windows, his Quick Launch bar disappeared. it was indeed a dilemna. At 4 am our fearless tech, Maxim Doumkine, was still at it but the solution was not far off. Maxim chatted Diego (time stamp in US Pacific Time):
[1:30:34 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: I had an idea
[1:30:39 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: he just restarted
[1:30:46 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: I am waiting for him to get back to me about it
[1:30:53 AM] Diego Orjuela says: What did you do?
[1:31:24 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: I created a new folder, named it quicklaunchnew and placed it in c:\ and copied over all his quicklaunch shortcuts
[1:31:40 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: and created a new toolbar instead of the old quicklaunch
[1:31:58 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: so… lets see
[1:32:27 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: well he isn’t paying, but I definitely will get a heck of a good review
[1:32:30 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: 4:32 am for me
[1:36:17 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: I FIXED IT!!!
[1:36:19 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[1:36:21 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[1:36:22 AM] Diego Orjuela says: hahahahaha
[1:36:25 AM] Diego Orjuela says: Whooooohoooooo!
[1:37:24 AM] Maxim Doumkine says: That was an invention fix, nowhere to be found online =).
He had done it. Without pay. Without anyone else even online to congratulate him Maxim had done it. The customer was astounded and so grateful. A legend had been born.
And I think that is why we all do it. It isn’t because we do or we don’t make money. It isn’t so we can take a look at other peoples computers. It is because there is that natural high that comes when helping another human being. There is that rush of sharing your knowledge with another and seeing a new world open up before them. Each one of you is such an important part of this team and tonight Maxim showed the skill, professionalism and determination embodied by each technician who carries the MinuteFix certification. Thank you Maxim. Job well done!
Some you may have seen the new footer link on the Certified MinuteFix Technician page that says Skype Prime Providers. If you click on that link you will find yet another video of Drew explaining something he didn’t understand twenty minutes prior. What he did understand, however, was how to really go overboard and make an amazing video (if I do say so myself) for Skype Prime providers coming into the world of MinuteFix. Of course, once it was viewed by a very, very select audience it was decided it might be a bit much for the “newbies”. So, we chopped it some and presented what you now see on this page. But, it is with great pleasure that I present to you the never-before-seen, director’s cut……
The study says, in essence, that Americans already take fewer car trips (perhaps you have started walking up to the convenient store rather than driving or you are drinking that tasty but fat Latte and walking back from the cafe instead of driving) and ate out less to cope with rising gas prices (Minute Meals and items such as steamer vegetables have changed my life) to cope with the rising cost of gas. However, if American workers were allowed and encouraged to telecommute from home just twice weekly, the country could save 9.7 billion gallons of gas and $38.2 billion a year.
Telework Exchange, a public-private partnership for promoting telework, recently surveyed 377 federal and private-sector employees and found that 92% believe they could do their jobs from home. However, only 34% reported that they actually telework.
In addition, the report reveals that on average, Americans spend $2,052 annually on gas and an average of 264 hours, or 11 days, commuting each year.
Rafe Needleman is a man after my own heart. As a veteran journalist and technology authority he is fair and can spot a solid start up from half a Silicon Valley block away.
Having spoken to Diego and interviewing him about MinuteFix he followed up with a solid (yet glowing) assessment report on MinuteFix. As you know we have been beating the pavement sending out press releases and trying to gain some ground in that area. Alas our efforts have not been overlooked.
Comparing us to companies such as SupportSpace and oDesk Needleman is quick to add that we are “…smart: [He’s] not trying to invent a business model from whole cloth, like so many Web 2.0 start-ups. Instead, [he’s] aiming Web 2.0 concepts at an established and lucrative market, where there are customers paying big bucks already and leaving their customers, to a large extent, unsatisfied. This is a good business model.”
You can read the full article by following the link above. You can also digg it or add it to Facebook or even mention the article on your personal website. If you do so, please be sure to let me know so I can share some link love with you!
Congratulations Techs. You are an amazing team and this is proof from the guys and gals at CNET.
I am pleased to announce that we now have a Facebook application available. You can find it by visiting this page and clicking on ‘Add Application’. The app creates a nice little slideshow of images posted to Ning by the MinuteFix community. We even have a little icon that goes in your application sidebar on your Facebook profile page.
I have to admit it was a rather drawn out process creating it but it was a lot of fun and just reminded me why I love this community so much. We are hard workers and we are dedicated to what we do. We finish what we start. I encourage each of you with a Facebook profile to add the app and show off those MinuteFix Places and Faces. (You can keep on inviting friends to the group page as well).
Oh, and speaking of pics. You can now upload Flickr images right to your Ning page with one click! That was added tonight as well. It is very cool and works exceptionally fast. So now none of us have excuses for not having at least a profile pic.
With the line between “work cell” and “personal cell” being more blurred than ever what can small businesses do about all the different devices that are sprouting up throughout the firm? Well, it can be a “every man for himself” mentality or the powers-that-be can put someone in charge of them all. The latter seems to make more sense.
That’s the advice the research company Forrester offers in a new report out today. Forrester says the new device-manager position is necessary because of the insurgence of laptops, and because of an increasing reliance by workers on smartphones and PDAs (of course the Blackberry, the iPhone and the Treo being the preferred devices). These new managers shouldn’t just babysit the devices and the hardware and software necessary to support them, but rather set policies so that businesses can make sure they’re helping workers get the most out of their devices.
Devices that workers keep on them blur the line between the professional and personal. A recent survey by Visage, which makes technology that helps businesses manage mobile equipment, found that 80% of workers with an employer-issued mobile device use it for personal purposes and 89% of people use their personal devices for work purposes. (which means no one is using their phone for the reason they thought they were purchasing it for, methinks)
Corporate policies haven’t kept up with such boundaries: Most employers who issue devices pick up the tab despite the usage and there are few rules and regs in place about accessing corporate systems though their own devices. (”Forrester surveyed over 500 tech leaders and found a fairly even split between businesses that support employee-owned devices, business that put employees in charge, businesses that provide partial support, and businesses that don’t have a policy”, adds Ben Worthen of WSJ.)
Forrester recommends that businesses resist the urge to gain control by issuing just one kind of device or limiting what information employees can access. Instead, businesses should invest in technology and develop policies that make it easier to manage different types of devices.
I just want to take a second to outline a chat transcript between MinuteFix Certified Technician Mark and a customer. It is full of quality responses, suggestions and tools. It satisfies our basic requirements of Customer Service and Tech Support and is just a good, strong read.
Visitor: harry
Operator: Mark
Started: 27 May 2008 18:24:27
Finished: 27 May 2008 19:28:13
* Your chat request has been answered by Mark.
Mark: Hi Harry, how can I help you today? (Solid intro. here)
harry: i guess i cant really ask you any sollutions here
harry: but the problem is the computer has just gone completely screwed
Mark: Are you having a specific technology problem?
harry: yea, in a very big way
harry: basically…
harry: all .exe file types are trying to run through utorrent… which is a downloading programme and like, the literal ‘E-data security’ like BIG programme that runs all of the important software now doesnt run
Mark: Ok, we’d be happy to help you. (Invitational Language)
harry: the computer no longer recognises anything to do with windows
Mark: Ok, is this another machine you are typing from? (Recognition of hardware)
harry: error boxes keep popping up and you litterally cant click ANYTHING to do with
harry: …hang on
harry: no we were able to make firefox work somehow
harry: through a short cut
Mark: Do you have an antivirus program installed?
harry: the big problem is ALLOT, if not ALL of the really important programmes can no longer run
harry: nothing is actually running because the computer cant recognise the file type its supposed to run the programmes with
harry: we have norton
harry: but its not working, like everything else
Mark: A couple of questions:
harry: ok
Mark: How is the problem being initiating. Does it run on its own (meaning virus) or does it happen when you click on something?
Mark: What operating system are you using? (SO IMPORTANT)
Mark: Do you have a phone?
harry: neither… whats happened is, ALL the .exe files on the computer (basically meaning ALL programmes - the whole software basis) was innitially changed to run through a programme called ‘u-torrent’. and as that programme isnt designed to run as that part of the computer no programmes could then run, an error box kept popping up saying ‘u torrent doesnt support this file type’
harry: thats when you clicked a programme anywhere on the computer, all it does is open u torrent with that error message
Mark: Windows XP?
Mark: Can you unistall utorrent?
harry: we then moved u-torrent to the recycle bin (not deleted incase that messes it up even more), now the computer brings up that box saying ‘which programme do you want to use to run this programme’
harry: when you click anything… so its forgotten how to run all programmes
harry: or something like that
harry: we’re on vista
harry: as you can see its a wierd problem
Mark: Can you uninstall utorrent?
harry: no we dont have a phone line
Mark: ok
harry: would u sujjest we do that?, i mean, we’ve effectively done that already, now programmes still wont work because when you click anything it asks what programme we would like to use to run it
harry: meaning nothing is set to what they are supposed to be set to to run normally
harry: *we’ve moved u-torrent to the recycle bin
Mark: Ok, we actually need to unistall utorrent (Initial Diagnosis)
Mark: Not move it to the recycle bin.
harry: and we dont have a resore point , as thats not even working, its giving us the same error message
harry: ok i’ll uninstall u’torrent now hang on
Mark: Ok.
harry: ok, id actually uninstalled it when i moved it to the recycle bin, it said it has already been uninstalled
harry: but all file types are still u-torrent
Mark: Putting it in the recycle bin is not really unistalling it
Mark: Did you go to the control panel?
harry: yea
Mark: To uninstall?
harry: should i empty recycle bin too?
harry: yea, its been uninstalled
Mark: The recycle bin doesn’t work.
Mark: Doesn’t do anything
Mark: The recycle bin is only for files not programs.
harry: but its done nothing… the problem is, allot of important programmes that boot on start up havn’t since it happened…
Mark: yes, we’re looking into it
harry: whats happened is the file types for all programmes have been wiped, so the computer doesnt know how to run any programme
harry: some work, some dont which is wierd
Mark: Can you open a windows explorer window by typing the windows key and the “W”
Mark: Sorry, Windows + E
Mark: That should open a window
harry: anything to do with vista hasnt loaded atall, the whole security center, norton hasnt loaded… basically ALL essential programmes are not running as the computer hasnt got a file type to read on any of the programmes because….
harry: yep
harry: takes me to the main computer pannel with the c: drive e.t.c.
Mark: ok, that’s great, please stay there for a moment.
harry: thank you so much for this
Mark: go to the Tools option on the upper menu of the windows
Mark: Select Folder Options
harry: ok
Mark: you should see a tab named “File Types”
Mark: Click on the “New” button
harry: got general view and search
Mark: Ok, one moment
harry: we’re using vista home premium
Mark: Do you not have the option Tools > Folder Options?
harry: yea
harry: the tabs at the top of the folder options box are: general, view and search
Mark: Ok, one moment, thanks
harry: thankyou
Mark: Ok, we’re going to help you, onemoment.
harry: i cant thank you enough Mark: No worries.
Mark: We’re still here
harry: lol
harry: us too
Mark: Ok Harry, are you still with me?
harry: yup
Mark: I’ve been doing a little research
harry: ok
harry: thanks
Mark: and you’re re not the only one with this problem (Building customer confidence)
harry: ooo
harry: i’de hopes as much
harry: hoped*
Mark: I’d like to refer you to this page -
http://blog.jtbworld.com/2007/03/have-you-lost-your-exe-file-extension.html
harry: ok
Mark: It’s rather self explanatory
Mark: There are four registry fixes which you can download. Each one is progressively more complete.
harry: sweet
harry: and that should fix the problem?
Mark: Try downloading the first to your desktop and then double clicking it. Vista will ask you to allow it. Go ahead and do so. I’ve studied the registry entries in each option and I’ve seen no risk in each.
Mark: That’s the idea!
harry: erm, ok, i’ll do that now
harry: will i have to go through each programme individually and re-open it through the registry fixer?
Mark: After you run the 1st one then try running a couple of .exe’s that you have installed. If you see the problem persists then try the 2nd option.
harry: because that may be difficult as some of the programmes are built to start on bootup
harry: hang on though i’ll d-load it
Mark: Not at all, these are system-wide fixes. In a nutshell you somehow ended up with uTorrent associated to deal with the .exe extension. An association is how operating systems know what to do with a file. It’s why if you rename a PDF to .doc Word won’t be able to display it. The info is still there, it just doesn’t know how to handle it.
harry: yea haha thats EXACTLY what happened… in a nutshell
Mark: So what we’re doing with this fix is going into Vista at the lowest level and telling it that anything with a .exe extension needs to be treated as a Vista application and the operating system itself should handle it, rather than one of the applications you installed later. (Solid explanation)
harry: ok sweet! so basically its reset the file extention alteration
Mark: And to answer your earlier question: You do not need to do this for each application. This is a fix with system-wide reach because it’s really just one problem affecting your machine even though all your .exe’s are affected.
Mark: Not basically, you explained like it a pro!
harry: and the things that should start on bootup, like the desktop widgets e.t.c., and more important ACER! lol, should start on bootup now
Mark: Couldn’t have said it more concisely myself.
harry: haha, thanks
Mark: Well as I said, it’s important to test a few .exe. *Do Not Reboot* until you see them working.
Mark: Have you tried the first fix yet?
harry: well, you’ll be happy to hear, things are loading up now their clicked, on a side note though, the icons are still u-torrent (the look like
u-torrent icons) will that change after a reset?
harry: yea, it seems to have worked so far
Mark: Not as happy as you evidently
harry: dude… i owe you a drink! lol
Mark: Icons should reset to the original icons packaged with each application by its manufacturer barring any additional unforeseen problems.
Mark: Do you run an antivirus?
harry: yea, all .exe file types are now showing a ‘blank sheet thing’… but i guess it doesnt matter, its just an icon image
harry: yea
harry: nortons back up and running, first thing i checked!
Mark: I’d recommend you run a full system scan and then reboot. If you know how to run a boot-time scan then I would do that. If not, check the help file that came with Norton and search for “boot time scan (or check)” and follow those instructions.
harry: what would that do?, oh yea, viruses
harry: true
Mark: I personally run XP so I’m somewhat baffled as to how this problem occurred. And while it seems that it’s a generic and widespread Vista issue it’s always safe to do a full check just to rule out any sort of virus or trojan.
harry: i’ll deff do that.
Mark: A boot time scan, in simplest terms analyzes your hard drive before Windows boots. This way it doesn’t encounter any issues with locked files, especially those infected ones. It kills them before they can execute.
harry: ok, that sounds like a good idea for sure
harry: and its a simple case of instructing norton to do that, i guess by an option in the norton interface right?
Mark: I’m glad that it’s working now. Go ahead and run your antivirus now, and then the boot time scan. Should be good as new.
harry: i’ll get to it in a minute
harry: sweet man
Mark: I don’t have Norton installed on my machine so I can’t be certain. But their docs should have it front and center. It’s one of the main
features of any AV.
harry: well i must thank you from the bottom of my heart, i was way over my head there and you really helped
Mark: Is there anything else I can help you with? (Giving the customer more opportunity to work with a Tech)
Mark: It was my pleasure
harry: no man, you’v done more than enough, and i’ll be recommending this site to everyone! lol
harry: mine too
Mark: Well we appreciate that very much. Thanks for counting on MinuteFix and be sure to visit us any time you need a hand. (Building reputation and customer base)
harry: its being bookmarked! lol, for sure man. have a really good day… and week… and yea! lol
Mark: It was my pleasure.
Mark: Have a good evening.
harry: you too
It is so tempting as a customer service agent in any industry not to become passive or complacent when a particular call lasts too long or you are just exhausted or there seems to be no real answer to the problem. However, that is when the cream rises to the top and true legends are made. I think we may have seen our first legend last night/this morning.
I am pleased to announce that we now have a 
