Posts Tagged ‘Windows 7’

How to Run Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode in a PC Without HAV Support?

Windows XP Mode let’s you run applications that are designed for Windows XP, right on your Windows 7 PC. Earlier, Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode could run only on computers whose processors have the Hardware-Assisted Virtualization (HAV) feature enabled. Here are some screenshots from one of my test systems with IntelĀ® Core 2 Duo Processor E4500 (which has no Hardware-assisted Virtualization support) running Windows 7 Ultimate RTM. (more…)

Fix for Windows Search Service Startup Error 1053 in Windows 7

Recently I came across a problem in a Windows 7 PC where the Windows Search service failed to start, and manually starting the service using Services MMC resulted in Error 1053, with the following error message verbatim.

Windows could not start the Windows Search service on Local Computer.

Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

(more…)

How to Share a Theme With All Users in a Windows 7 Computer?

A theme is a combination of desktop background pictures, Window colors, sound scheme and a screensaver. Windows 7 introduces a new file format (.themepack) which is basically a .cab file that can contain images, audio files for sound scheme, mouse cursors, icons and the .theme file itself. This file format was introduced so that it’s easier to share themes to other Windows 7 systems. (more…)

Why Is There a Lock (Padlock) Icon on Some Files and Folders in Windows 7?

Ever wondered why there is a lock icon overlay appearing for some of your files and folders, as in the image below:

And for some folders:

(more…)

Fix Error “There Was a Problem Starting PhotoViewer.Dll” When Editing Image Files in Windows 7

After upgrading your Windows Vista computer to Windows 7, when you right-click on a JPG/JPEG image and click Edit, the following error message may appear:

There was a problem starting C:\Program Files\Windows Photo Gallery\PhotoViewer.dll

The specified module could not be found.

(more…)

Fix Special Folders Showing Up With Generic Yellow Icon in Windows 7

If a shell folder in your Windows 7 computer has lost its special icon and showing up as a generic (yellow) folder, you need to create/fix the Desktop.ini file for the shell folder. For Windows Vista, use the instructions in article Shell folders are displayed with the standard folder icon in Windows Vista. The default contents of the desktop.ini file for various shell folders in Windows 7 are provided below. For each shell folder (that’s missing the special icon) create a file named desktop.ini and add corresponding content. (more…)

Fix My Computer Manage Context Menu Error “This File Does Not Have a Program Associated” In Windows 7/Vista

When you right-click the Computer icon and click Manage, the following error message appears and Computer Management window doesn’t appear.

This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Please install a program or, if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Programs control panel.

This happens if the IsShortcut registry value is deleted, in an attempt to hide the shortcut arrow overlay. This is one of the many side-effects caused by the removal of IsShortcut registry value. To resolve the problem, download and apply the .lnk file association fix from the following link:

File Association Fixes for Windows 7

File association fixes for Windows Vista

This restores the IsShortcut String value in the following registry key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile

Editor’s Note: For a proper way to remove the shortcut arrow in Windows Vista and Windows 7, see article How to remove or modify the Shortcut overlay in Windows 7 and Windows Vista.

How to Create a Password Reset Disk and Use It to Reset Forgotten Password in Windows 7

You can create a password reset disk in Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP, so that you can regain access to the system quickly in the event of a forgotten password, without having to use third-party boot environment CDs and tools. Microsoft suggests that you create a password reset disk after creating the user account and assigning the password. Here is a walkthrough on how to create a password reset disk in Windows 7. (more…)

Fix Windows 7 Start Menu Search Showing Only Category Headings

When you type a search word or phrase in the Windows 7 Start menu, the search results may turn up empty with only the category headings (such as “Control Panel”, “Files”, “Microsoft Outlook”) showing. Also, clicking any of the category heading from the search results may open a Windows Security dialog displaying the error "These files can’t be opened". (more…)

How to Rename “Screen Resolution” In the Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7

In Windows 7, three new commands are added to the Desktop right-click menu namely, Screen Resolution, Gadgets and Personalize. This article tells you how to rename the Screen Resolution entry. "But what’s the point of renaming the entry?" you may ask. (more…)