Tag: Microsoft

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Computing, Internet, Technology

Ignite in the rear-view mirror

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One week after Microsoft Ignite 2017, and I think it’s a good time to take a look back. The keynote speech by Satya Nadella was inspiring. I have to admit, the discussion about quantum computing went over my head. The one question I have: If Windows 10 crashes on a quantum computer, does the universe come to an end?

I enjoyed connecting with and meeting several of the speakers and presenters. A few to point out: Brad Anderson, Corporate Vice President of the Enterprise Client & Mobility Team; Michael Niehaus, Microsoft DIrector of Product Marketing; Dona Sarkar, Head of the Windows Insider Program at Microsoft, along with the other #NinjaCats: Blair Glennon, Jason Howard, and Jen Gentleman, among others.

Listening to some of the Windows deployment speakers, such as Mike Nystrom and Johan Arwidmark was incredibly informative. These guys are well-known for their blogs relating to SCCM deployment and it was great to talk with them in person.

Also, this is cool:

Brad Anderson’s Lunch Break featured Brad riding a golf cart around the bus loop at the Orange County Convention Center. Participants could ask Brad anything… My question for Brad didn’t make it to the video, but my selfie did! The entire video can be seen here:

The most beneficial speakers and sessions I’ve linked to below:

All presentations and slide decks are available at the Microsoft Ignite website for viewing. Nerds of the world, tune in and see what you think!

Computing, Technology

Microsoft Ignite 2017

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This year I am experiencing my first Microsoft Ignite conference in Orlando, Florida. I was prepared to be blown away by all the innovations, and it sure is overwhelming!

To follow along this week, just follow #MSIgnite on Twitter.

I will (probably) write up something a bit more comprehensive when this is all over. I don’t want to spend all this week in Orlando typing behind a laptop when I could be experiencing Ignite. So, more coming soon!

Microsoft Ignite 2017: Opening Video

Day One:

Tweets:

…Read More

Computing

The OneDrive Troubleshooter…

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I’ve recently become a big fan of Microsoft’s OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) service.  Apparently, the renaming conincides with Microsoft’s new “One” rebranding.  You know… XBox One and all… Well, anyway, I do like the service, and thanks to bing I have about 109gb of storage “in the cloud” that integrates well with the OS.

Or I should say Did integrate well with the OS… After my most recent computer purchase I noticed a small problem…

So for a little while now I’ve had an issue with Microsoft’s OneDrive that prevented me from regularly accessing most of my files from within Windows 8.1.  The error message itself was not very helpful:

Error: 0x800040A41: No description available

That is, of course, one of the least helpful errors of all… A little bit of searching revealed a little-known tool called the OneDrive Troubleshooter. This tool provided that step-by-step guide that I needed to get my files available within Windows 8.1 again.

Click Next to continue the troubleshooter.

The troubleshooter will ask if it’s okay to send information to Microsoft. Your call.  That doesn’t bother me any, so let’s move on…

You’ll then have the capability to Reset OneDrive which is what I chose that led to resolving my problem.

There’s not much to it, but after running the OneDrive troubleshooter my OneDrive documents are once again available to me straight from my desktop!

This link provided the help that I needed.

Computing, Technology

The most viewed picture of all time?

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Some believed it was CGI. But here’s the real story behind one of the most unforgettable desktop wallpapers in history, “Bliss.”

The story is told by photographer Charles O’Rear, a resident of nearby Napa Valley, California.

As Microsoft finally puts Windows XP out to pasture, here is an interesting story about one of the most viewed photographs of all time.

Computing

Start Me Up

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Well, it was fifteen years ago today (August 24, 1995) that Windows 95 was launched to a worldwide audience.  (My favorite headline from the USA Today newspaper actually said Worldwide Wait for Windows 95 ends.  Funny.)

I was in Pittsburgh, Pa. for the launch event.  I have a whole bunch of pics on flickr that were taken that day.  Here are a couple of my favorites:

Windows-95---All-Media

This one is a collection of all the Windows 4.0/95 paraphernalia that I collected over the months prior to release, as well as preview program discs and SWAG picked up from Pittsburgh.  Also included: the USA Today articles from the week of the launch.

Windows-95---Cookies

It’s cookies! The Windows logo filled with red, blue, green, and yellow sugar cookies.  Kind of gives a new meaning to “Windows cookies.”

The product launch was pretty amazing.  Here is a YouTube video that sums up all that went on at the Microsoft campus before and during the launch:

Even though I enjoyed the ads, it still escapes me why Microsoft would ever use a song that contains the lyrics “You make a grown man cry” in the commercial to sell their Operating System…

Computing

Windows 7 is here.

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I have been toying with it for a couple of months and have to say it is an improvement over Vista, but I also have to agree with most of the media in saying that I don’t think I would recommend that the average user run out and buy the upgrade version of Windows 7 to install on their existing home PC’s.  I would wait and get it with a new PC.  Most of the time an OS upgrade is more of a hassle than it is helpful.  The only way I would recommend getting a Windows 7 upgrade now is if you were planning on reloading your computer completely in a fresh start kind of way.

Upgrades tend to take forever, and rarely do they improve the performance of the PC.  So unless you plan on formatting the hard drive and starting over, I’d wait just a bit.

Computing

Looking forward to Zune HD… and more!

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This was a funny little video for a Friday:

I wish Microsoft would be a little less secretive about the upcoming Zune HD.  I’d like to know if it’s going to have enough storage to effectively replace my Zune 80.  I’d also like to know if I need to prepare to take out a second mortgage to be able to afford the device.

Computing, Internet

New WV area code and Windows dial-up

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Now that West Virginia is getting the new 681 area code, some Internet dial-up users are finding themselves in a pickle…  Not only is the new 10-digit dialing a requirement for us, it’s also a requirement for our computers.

As a friend pointed out to me last night, most people around here have set up their computers to dial only the last seven digits of their ISP’s dial-up number.  (623-xxxx) Well, effective February 28, all 10 digits must be dialed, including the area code.  For a quickie guide to setting this up, look below.  (Of course, if you can’t get on the Internet, how are you reading this?) 🙂

For Windows XP and Windows Vista, the fix is basically the same.  These screenshots are from Vista, but the steps for XP are just the same:

Go to the Windows Control Panel and double-click “Phone and Modem Options”

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The “Phone and Modem Options” window appears.  (Imagine that!)

image

If you already have a location titled “My Location” you’re on your way! Not all dial-up software is the same, and some do not use the Windows modem options to configure their dialing.  Hopefully, yours will.  If you have a “My Location” line like mine above, click on “Edit…”  If not, click “New…” (Though I can’t guarantee you that this will work for you.  If you don’t have a location to start with, your software probably doesn’t use Windows to configure the modem.  Sorry!)

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If this is a new location, you’ll have to give it a Location name.  “My Location” is just fine.  Or, you can make up your own.  Once you’ve reached the above screen, click on the “Area Code Rules” tab.

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You may have an existing rule for 304.  If you do, select it and click “Edit…” If you do not have an existing rule for 304, click “New…”  Either way, you will reach this screen:

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If the Area Code field is empty, type 304 in there.  Here is the key step: Click the box beside “Include the area code.” That should be all there is to resolving this problem!  Click OK three times to get out of there!

And, hopefully, you will be back online.