To resize a partition with Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 2008, follow these steps:

Be sure to back up any valuable information, because there is a slight chance that data can be lost when dealing with partitions.

1) Click on the Start menu

2) Right click on Computer and click on Manage.

3) Open up the Storage category and click on Disk Management on the left hand panel.

Read the rest of this entry…

To disable Windows 7 / Vista from downloading automatic updates, follow these simple steps.

Open Start menu, right-click on Computer and click Properties. This will open System dialog box that will show basic information about your computer. On the left sidebar, under See also heading, you will find Windows Update. Clicking it will bring you to the Windows Update dialog box, now on the left sidebar click on Change Settings. You will now see a window that will look like this,

You will notice that Windows has enabled option as default, to disable it, simply select Never check for updates and you are done.

Note: Microsoft recommends that you must keep your windows up-to-date in order to remain secure. And I recommend the same, my computer is always up-to-date, this is one reason I never get attacked by any kind of virus.

*Prior to anything, make sure your motherboard supports the option to boot from a USB Key, it this process will not work for you.*

Requirements:

*USB Flash Drive (Minimum 4GB)

*Windows 7 or Vista installation files. You can get the Windows 7 RC1 from Microsoft directly - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx

1. Plug-in your USB flash drive to USB port and move all the contents from USB drive to a safe location on your system.

2. Open Command Prompt with admin rights. Use any of the below methods to open Command Prompt with admin rights.

*Type cmd in Start menu search box and hit Ctrl+ Shift+ Enter.

Or

*Go to Start menu > All programs > Accessories, right click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

3. You need to know about the USB drive a little bit. Type in the following commands in the command prompt:

DISKPART *and press enter*

4. Now type LIST DISK command and note down the Disk number (ex: Disk 1) of your USB flash drive.

5. Next type all the below commands one by one. Here I assume that your disk drive no is “Disk 1”.If you have Disk 2 as your USB flash drive then use Disk 2.Refer the above step to confirm it.

So below are the commands you need to type and execute one by one:

SELECT DISK 1

CLEAN

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

SELECT PARTITION 1

ACTIVE

FORMAT FS=NTFS

(Format process may take few seconds)

ASSIGN

EXIT

Don’t close the command prompt as we need to execute one more command at the next step. Just minimize it.

6. Next insert your Windows7/Vista DVD into the optical drive and check the drive letter of the DVD drive. In this guide I will assume that your DVD drive letter is “D” and USB drive letter is “H” (open my computer to know about it).

7. Maximize the minimized Command Prompt in the 4th step.Type  the following command now:

D:CD BOOT and hit enter.Where “D” is your DVD drive letter.

CD BOOT and hit enter to see the below message.

7. Type another command given below to update the USB drive with BOOTMGR compatible code.

BOOTSECT.EXE/NT60 H:

none

While Hyperterminal shipped with Windows XP, it however did not ship with Windows Vista (Boo Microsoft, Boo!). However that doesn’t mean that you can’t use it. What you can do is rip the following files from a Windows XP disc or installation;

hypertrm.dll

hypertrm.exe

Now all you need to do is place them anywhere in your Vista directory and link the shortcut to

hypertrm.exe. Now you can launch it and it will first ask for Zip code and state. Afterwards you can being to use Hyperterminal as usaual. If you don’t have a copy of Windows XP handy, you can download the file’s I’ve ripped and use it as well;

http://www.keithdmitchell.com/Downloads/hyperterminal_vista.zip

Side note, although I am using the Windows 7 RC1, I do see a placeslot of Hyperterminal, but no application for it. You’ll be happy to know that this also will work for Windows 7 as well

*note, this works for 32/64bit Vista and Windows 7!*