DotNetNuke 5.0 - getting it to work on a Windows Vista machine

In a previous post, I had written about installing DNN 5.x on a Windows XP machine.

Building and running DNN 5 on a Windows Vista machine is a little different, because of how IIS is different on Vista.

Here is what you need to do to install IIS on Vista with the correct set of options so that DNN works on it. (note: I am working with the Home Premium version of Vista).

Install IIS for Vista:

Go to Start->Control Panel->Programs and features. Click on the link “Turn Windows features on or off”.

Make sure that IIS is installed with the following set of features.

The following are important:

• IIS 6 Management Compatibility
• Application Development Features (Asp.Net)
• Common Http Features
• Security

Also, make sure that the folder containing the DNN files provides the Network Service account with modify permissions (root folder as well as sub-folders). Right click on the folder and go to “properties”. Select the “Security” tab and add Network Service account and click on the “Modify” option.

Hit Ctrl + F5 to start the web-site. And if you did everything correctly, the installation page should come up with all the images showing and the format setup correctly (if not, then some setting is not setup correctly).

Brother MFC-490CW printer does not print in Vista

I was unable to successfully print from my Windows Vista laptop to my new Brother MFC-490CW wireless printer. The laptop was successfully able to connect to the wireless printer as I was able to scan images from the MFC-490CW. But when I sent a document to the printer – it just sat in the spool and wasnt getting sent to the printer.

Here is what I had to do to get it working:

Type “printers” in the search bar.

This will bring up the printers link.

Click on the link to open the panel for configuring printers.

Right click on the “Brother MFC-490CW printer” icon and click on “Properties”.

Go to the “Ports” tab and click on “Configure Port…” button.

Make sure that “LPR Byte Counting Enabled” is checked.

 

Click ok and you should now be able to print from your Vista computer.

KB957000 fails to update with an error code of 8000FFFF

Since the new year, my Dell 1520 laptop was unable to run Windows Update and it used to fail with an error code of 8000FFFF on update KB957000.

Installation status: Failed
Error details: Code 8000FFFF
Update type: Important Fix for KB957000
More information: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=957000

"Update for Windows (KB957000)" could not be installed because of an error: 2147549183 "Catastrophic failure"

One reason that this error might be occurring on the computer is that the following values might exist on your computer.

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS\PendingXmldentifier
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS\NextQueueEntryIndex
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS\AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving

This is a known issue and Microsoft has a quick fix for it.

 http://download.microsoft.com/download/E/F/2/EF215D7B-1BEA-4233-AB24-F93E0211CA2E/FixWindowsUpdateError0x8000FFFF.msi

Or if you would like to get your hands dirty – then just open the registry and delete the 3 registry values described above (but before you do – remember to backup the registry).

Here are the details from Microsoft’s site:

1. Click Start
2. In the Start Search box, type regedit.
3. In the Programs list, click Regedit.exe.

   If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

4. Find and then click the following registry subkey:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS

5. Right-click COMPONENTS.
6. Click Export. (Important – as it can save you – in case things go bad after this)
7. In the File Name box of the Export Registry File dialog box, type COMPONENTS.
8. Click Save, and then click COMPONENTS.
9. In the details pane, right-click PendingXmldentifier, and then click Delete. If this value does not exist, go to the next step.
10. In the details pane, right-click NextQueueEntryIndex, and then click Delete. If this value does not exist, go to the next step.
11. In the details pane, right-click AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving, and then click Delete. If this value does not exist, go to the next step.
12. Restart the computer, and then try again to update the computer.

 Important:

• Remember to save the component hive of the registry. This is your insurance policy.
• You might have to restart and run Windows Update multiple times. It took me 3 restarts, before all the updates managed to get installed and the error message would finally go away.
• I also had to turn off the Customer Experience Improvement Program for the changes to take effect.
  Start –> Control Panel –> Problem Reports and Solutions
  Customer Experience Improvement settings (left hand side bottom) and turn it off.
   

How to Make Windows Vista Less Annoying - The best tweaks for Vista

How to Make Windows Vista Less Annoying from LifeHacker.com has compiled a list of Vista tweaks that make the OS less intrusive and annoying. Obviously the first one that comes to mind is the disabling of the UAC. The jumps on that page - have better ways of handling UAC issues - then out-right disabling it. Very Useful.

Other tweaks involve making copying of files faster, disabling of the automatic reboot on update feature, reduce number of balloon tips, etc.

Vista only - Snipping Tool

I have had Vista for almost 6 months now and I had no idea about this feature that comes installed with Windows Vista.

The "Snipping Tool" in Vista allows you to create screen captures and its free!

 

Above - creation of a free form clip using the Snipping Tool.

MIX | Sessions

Sessions from MIX 08 are available to view online - MIX | Sessions

Installing Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth module in Inspiron Laptop

I wanted to try and connect to the Wii's remote and use it as a input interface on my windows laptop. The Wii's remote uses Bluetooth to connect to the console. So I needed to add a blue tooth module to my laptop.

My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 1520. The Dell wireless 355 Bluetooth module is made for this laptop. (The 355 module also works for many other Inspiron models, though the installation instructions might be a little different based on the model).

 

Here are the step by step instructables to get the 355 module into your Inspiron.

Tools needed:

A plastic scribe. (If you cant find a plastic scribe you can use a flat head screw-driver (but be careful as it is very easy to leave dents, scratches and nicks in the plastic areas that you will be working around).

1. Disconnect the power and remove the battery from your laptop.
   
2. Turn over the laptop and open the LCD screen all the way - so that it lays almost flat.
   
3. The Bluetooth module goes in a slot located under the hinge cover. To remove the hinge cover you need to use the flat scribe or screw-driver to gently lift the cover up from the front of the laptop.
4. The hinge cover has a small notch/slot located on the right hand side corner towards the LCD screen. This notch will help you get started in releasing the hinge cover.
   
5. The hinge cover is held in place by tabs that lock into the laptop body.
    
6. You will want to start by inserting the scribe into the notch and then gently pushing down the scribe to release the tabs holding the hinge cover in place.
   
7. As you release the hinge cover (first at the notch) move down towards the keyboard and then work yourself from the right side to the left. You shouldn't have to apply to much force. As you slowly lift the hinge cover from the right side and move towards the left side - the tabs will release and the hinge cover will open up.
   
8. Notice that on the left hand side - there are two flat tabs that go flat into the laptop's body. When you arrive at this spot - you should just be able to slide out the hinge cover (if you keep trying to lift up the hinge cover - you risk breaking these tabs).
   
9. Once you have removed the hinge cover you will see the slot into which the blue tooth module will sit.
   (Large pink circle area). This area has 3 slots/tab (blue) into which the module will seat. And finally the connector cable will connect the module to your laptop.
    
   
10. Insert the blue tooth module so that it sits under the slots.
    To do this - hold the blue tooth module by its connector end and then slide it into and under the slots.
    
     
11. Finally insert the connector into the Bluetooth module. (The connector will go in only one way - so don't force it too hard).
    
12. Now re-attach the hinge cover.
    Start on the left side by sliding the 2 tabs into the laptop body.
    Working from left to right gently press down on the hinge cover so that the tabs engage and lock into the laptop body.
13. Re-attach the battery and power cable and start-up your laptop.
14. In my case the laptop came with the drivers required for the blue-tooth module and Vista started installing them as soon as it started up. In case you need to download the drivers - you can find them here: Dell Support

 

Things to remember:

• The hardest part of the installation is the removal of the hinge cover - as its made of plastic and very easy to break the tabs that hold it in place. So be gentle and become familiar with the picture in step 5 which shows the locations of the tabs. Move from right to left while removing the hinge cover - lifting the cover a little as you move along. When replacing the cover - move from left to right - pushing down gently - so as to lock the tabs in place.
  (I am not sure if it will be easy to purchase a replacement hinge cover - so be very very careful with it).
• It might be easier to slide the Bluetooth module a little bit into its slot - then attach the cable and then push the model all the way in.
• Remember static discharge is your worst enemy. As you have disconnected the laptop from the power adapter - the discharge can easily find its way to one of the many electronic components and kill your system. So discharge your self by touching some huge metal piece that is grounded - or in my case go find someone to touch and give them a fun jolt of electricity!! :)
• Also remember the disclaimer: I am not responsible for any issues/losses you may encounter by following the above instructions. You are following them at your own risk.

FileMenu Tools

Ever needed to customize the Windows context menu?

I constantly keep adding tools such as Register, Unregister, Register using VS2005, etc. One way to get the job done is to edit the registry directly, but that requires to remember to many registry paths, variables and settings.

Enter FileMenu Tools.

FileMenu Tools allows you to customize and edit your File Menu Context menu in many different ways. It has extremely convenient features that even allow you to add commands and specify on what types of objects they should be available (folders or files - as well as file types, such as dlls, exes, etc).

You can also edit the Send To option.

FileMenu Tools (FMT) comes with quite a few built in customizations that out of the box extend your context menu almost off the screen. But as the tool allows for complete customization of the context menu - you can pick and choose the ones you like the most.

Awesome tool!

Also works flawlessly in Windows Vista (32).

FileMenu Tools

Getting rid of the "Internet Explorer provided by...." in the title bar

When I got my new Vista laptop the first thing I did was to get rid of all the crapware that was installed on it. Having done that successfully I had to live with an annoying Internet Explorer title "Internet explorer provided by Dell".

Here is an easy way of removing that message.

Go to Start -> Run and paste the following text and hit enter. Restart IE and it should be gone.

"rundll32 iedkcs32.dll,Clear"

The above command clears out all the rebranding that might have been applied to your internet explorer.

(Another way to do the same thing is to edit the registy directly, though I like the above method better as it probably removes all other branding information that might be stored for IE - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title)

Installing a networked printer in Windows Vista

I recently purchased a laptop which came with Windows Vista Home Premium. The server in my home is a Windows XP machine running a Epson Stylus CX4800 printer (which is connected to the server via a USB cable). There are two other XP machines that connect to that machine and installing the printer on those machines involved just browsing the network neighborhood, drilling down to the server and dragging the printer on to those machines.

Unfortunately, installing the printer onto my new Vista machine wasn't as straight forward.

Keep in mind that what I had to do was for an Epson Stylus CX4800 machine, but the solution should work on any network where you are able to browse to server that hosts the printer and you are able to see the printer in the network.

Here are the steps.

1. I installed the printer locally.
   a. Go to Control Panel -> Printers
   b. Right click and choose "Run as Administrator->Add a Printer"
   
   c. Choose "Add a local printer"
   
   d. Choose "Create a new port" and set the type of port as "Local Port"
   
   e. When you hit next, you will see the Port Name dialog.
   f. Enter the name as \\ServerName\PrinterName\. In my case the name was like \\myServer\EpsonSty.
   
2. Next you will have to select the printer driver
   
   
3. Now make sure that the new network port you specified is being used:
   Right click on the printer and choose properties
   
   
   Make sure the network port is the one that is selected (notice that it is a Local Port, but points at a network printer)
4. Once that was done, I was able print a test page and voila - it worked!
   Open up the properties for the printer and choose "Print Test Page"
   

I am not sure why installing the printer in the traditional manner does not work and after almost a day of trying various steps - I stumbled upon some tips that pointed me in this direction and it works great. So I am not complaining no more.