MS SyncToy Scheduling problem

Check out this web page for the solution.

Just in case it gets taken down or moved, here is the fix.

While validating the source of the error code "0x1", I stumbled upon the solution of the problem.

My computer is part of a computer network domain and I belong to the Network Administrators Group.

"SyncToy Help" states that you must have administrative privileges in order to install the application, specially if you don't have the Microsoft Sync Framework. Since I have administrator privileges I installed Synctoy with my user profile and on the scheduler task I had the "Run As" Field As the local Administrator.

It turns out that if you install SyncToy with a profile that is not Administrator:

1) You must use that same profile in the "Run As" Field on the Task Tab, as in "YourDomain\yourprofilename"

2) also, you have to mark the "Run only if logged on" checkbox.

3) Remember to set your password also.

The scheduler is now running the SyncToyCmd correctly.

For more information on scheduler issues see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/308558

Vista anti-disk thrashing measures

On many systems, Windows Vista has the annoying tendency to access the hard drive for very long periods, at times when XP would not normally be doing so. This behavior accounts for a large portion of Vista's legendary slugishness. Fortunately, there are some concrete steps you can take to prevent this behavior. Here are those steps, in my preferred order

- disable SuperFetch service
- disable automatic defrags
- disable indexing service
- disable shadow copy service
- disable system restore* (If possible, leave this service enabled, as it can definitely be useful.)

XP looses .EXE file association

Recently I had a PC with a strange problem. After removing some spyware/virii, it would no longer allow any .exe files to execute. Simply renaming them to .com often fixed the problem, but that wasn't a real fix. I did some web searches, and despite not finding any reference to this problem on Microsoft's website, eventually found this web site, which contains registry files that fix file associations for a variety of file extensions.

PC Decrapifier

No kidding - that's really the name of this nifty utility. It removes all the useless, bloated garbage that is typically preinstalled on many new PCs.

Download it here!

Office 2007 causes spell-checker problems for OE

Apparently, a lot of people have found that following the install of MS Office 2007, they are left with a French version of the Outlook Express spellchecker. MS has no real fix, so it looks like the simplest thing to do is to download this free spellcheck ad-on.

How to search for files within date ranges in Vista

Here is a helpful Vista tip.

Spyware Terminator

I just tried this newer antispyware application. So far, it is perfect. I've used it once, and it was able to remove a fairly nasty, aggressive piece of spyware.

Best of all, it's free!

Spyware Terminator