To find a "lost" window (displays off the side of the screen after undocking from multiple monitors):

XP:  Right click the icon on the taskbar, select "move", then use the arrow keys to move the window to where it is visible.

Windows 7:  Hover your mouse over the icon on the task bar until the thumbnail appears, right-click the thumbnail, select "move" and then move the window with the arrow keys.  Alternately, you can click the icon on the taskbar (so that the application has focus), hold down the Windows key, and press the right or left arrow key.  This will snap the window to the side of the screen.  (Sometimes, you have to hit Windows-arrow multiple times.) Read More...

One of the new features in Outlook 2010 that I absolutely love is the ability to create “Quick Steps.” At home, I’ve got several email accounts that download into Outlook. From those separate inboxes, I file them into folders kept completely offline. A problem that I run into is that when using the preview pane, the email isn’t marked as read (intentionally) unless I click off and back onto it. When I click-drag the email to a folder to file it, it keeps its unread status unless, once again, I click off and on. This is not a very efficient way for me to work and Quick Steps fix that.

When you create a new Quick Step, you can define a set of actions that this one button performs. Read More...

If you are having problems opening iPhoto (no photos are displayed, etc.), you might can fix it by rebuilding the iPhoto cache.  Just hold Command + Control when launching iPhoto, then select all rebuild options and click Rebuild.

I purchased a new iPhone, but when I tried to sync my old iPhone to my new iPhone it kept crashing my system (laptop would shut down – not blue screen, just turn off).  The event logs showed nothing…  Below is what I tried:

1. Reinstalled iTunes
2. Changed USB ports I was plugged into
3. Changed cables I used to connect my iPhone to my laptop
4. Restored iPhone to factory default

Then I started synching only pieces at a time and found that it only crashed my laptop when I tried to sync photos…

Not sure exactly which photo or why the sync of photos caused the crash – I have tried only synching a few photos and did not have a problem, but I have not synced all photos since.

I was forced to change my network password the other morning.  No big deal.  However, around lunch I noticed my iPhone battery life was down to 17% (from 100% at 8:00am).  I had forgotten to update my ActiveSync password on my iPhone after the change (which seemed to cause the phone to continually fail to sync my e-mail and killed my battery).  In the future, I’ll need to remember to change both passwords at the same time.

If you have a battery powered device that you pack away somewhere in your backpack or bag, this trick might help you.  Sometimes a device will have a recessed power button, but it if is not designed well enough, you could either end up with dead batteries if it gets turn on accidentally, or no data if it gets turn off accidentally.  I have a GPS data logger that traveled around on recent trip with me so I could geotag photos.  I wanted to be sure it did not get turned off.  A good solution is to find a flat washer, or maybe two that are just the right size to go around the power button.  Glue it on carefully – you don’t want to glue the power button.  This makes the power button recessed to help prevent accidents.  Here are a couple of pictures of my GPS data logger.  I used a clear plastic washer because I did not want to occlude an LED. Read More...

Last week one day I had a message popup on my iPhone which said my Voicemail password was wrong.  The message caught me off-guard because I wasn’t trying to access my Voicemail and I hadn’t made any changes recently.  Also, I wasn’t sure if it was my voicemail with AT&T or my office voicemail in Cisco’s integrated messaging.  Since I was busy with other things, I didn’t pursue it.

After a couple of days, the message appeared again.  This time I thought I should find out what was happening.

I selected the button (don’t remember the name) to get more details and I learned it was the password with the AT&T.  On my iPhone I went to Settings > Phone > Change Voicemail Password.  There I was prompted to put in my old password (really just a four digit PIN).  I entered the old one which it took (so it means my old password was still valid with AT&T) then entered a new password, which was accepted.  Behind the scenes my phone updated my password.  After exiting Settings, two new voicemail messages appeared. Read More...

I recently wanted change the offline files cache location in Windows 7.  Instead of the default location of C:\Windows\CSC, I wanted the offline files to be stored on my D: drive.  After checking around the Internet, I found several articles stating that moving offline files worked in XP, but didn’t work in Vista or Windows 7.  In the end, I found this blog post.  It worked.  However, I made one modification – I cleared the cache prior to moving the cache location and did not delete the original cache location after moving it.  My reasoning was 1) I wanted to clear the cache in order get rid of any residual offline files and 2) taking ownership and deleting a folder in the Windows directory seems like asking for trouble (besides I might need to move the cache back at some point). 

In order to clear the cache, add a DWORD registry key named FormatDatabase to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CSC\Parameters, set the key to a value of 1, and reboot.  One word of warning, do not set both the FormatDatabase registry key and CacheLocation registry key mentioned in the blog at the same time and reboot.  Windows blue screened on me during the reboot.  I had to boot into safe mode and remove the CacheLocation registry key in order to avoid the blue screen.  The correct sequence is clear the cache, reboot, change the cache location, reboot.

I started receiving unwanted automated calls on my iPhone late one night.  Some automated calling service was calling my number about once an hour and there was only a recorded voice on the other side.  I needed to have my phone on and the ringer loud because I was expecting an important phone call early the next morning.  Muting the phone was not an option.  While searching for a solution, I found this website: [http://www.mylittleportal.com/call-block-cell-phone-number-iphone] “How to block any phone number on your iPhone for free”

The process is very quick, easy, and free:

1. Download this silent ringtone to your computer.
2. Open iTunes and copy the ringtone.
3. Sync your iPhone.
4. Make a new contact with the number you want to block and assign the silent ringtone to the contact.
5. Get a full night’s sleep.

A customer who has switch completely to PDF format for document storage, has a need to access Tagged Image File Format (TIFF/TIF) documents from prior years. They recently ungraded all their systems to Windows 7 with Office 2007. Previously they used Office 2007 which installed the Microsoft Document Imaging program by default. The default install of Office 2007 sets the Microsoft Document Imaging program to install and run on first use. However, the first use is to access an MDI format file and have installation permission. They do not have installation permission and never access MDI files. Because it is not installed users are unable to reorder, rotate and print individual pages of a TIFF/TIF document. This means in order to print page 20 of a 65 page document you must print all the pages.

To resolve this issue, install the Microsoft Office Document Imaging program. To do this, follow these steps: Read More...

Microsoft Office Picture Manager (and iPhoto on the Mac) has a feature which helps organize digital photos.  In order to organize photos it is most helpful to be able to rename them, but renaming them is tedious if you have many photos.

If you are running Windows and have Microsoft Office 2007 installed the Picture Manager should be under All Programs -> Microsoft Office -> Microsoft Office Tools -> Microsoft Office Picture Manager.  In Microsoft Office Picture Manager all you have to do to easily rename photos is open a folder of photos, select more than one, right click on one of the selected photos and choose Rename.  A work panel will open which allows you to enter a name which will be applied to all the selected photos as well as options for defining sequential numbering. Read More...

I use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse under Windows 7 (64-bit) that started to hang from time to time after I began using Windows 7.  I found that if I turned the BT radio off then back on it would work fine.  Sometimes it would hang after I stopped using the keyboard or mouse for just a few seconds.  Sometimes it was after I hadn't used it for several minutes.  Regardless, I couldn't see any relationship to how long it hadn't been used and when it would hang.

I found if I went into Device Manager > Bluetooth Radios and opened the properties to ThinkPad Bluetooth 2.1 with Enhanced Data Rate and then unchecked the "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" option, the problem went away. Read More...