Using Virtualization in Windows 7 Free Webcast

As we all use computers over more and more years we become comfortable with software that “just works” and we want to continue using it for as long as possible.  This causes problems though as Microsoft develop new versions of Windows as, no matter how well each version of Windows is supposed to be compatible with all the Windows software that came before it, they’re just not.

The solution is to use virtualisation tools and on any modern PC this becomes relatively simple (depending on the tools you use).  In my monthly free webcast for February I’m taking a beginner’s look at virtualisation, examining what it is and the different tools available, and looking at how you can use it on your PC to help you keep running older software and how you can have multiple operating systems running side by side.

With a PC bought in the last couple of years you can run multiple operating systems side by side with little or no performance loss overall, as modern processors are very efficient at handling the extra OS calls virtualisation produces, and the amount of memory in modern PCs is more than enough for even demanding tasks.

The webcast takes place online at 10AM PT San Francisco | 6pm – London | 1pm – New York | Fri, Feb  3rd at 5am – Sydney | Fri, Feb  3rd at 3am – Tokyo | Fri, Feb  3rd at 2am – Beijing | 11:30pm – Mumbai on Thursday 2nd February.  It’s completely free and if you can’t make it live you can watch it recorded afterwards provided you have registered before it begins.  You can register for this webcast here.

Diagnosing and Repairing Difficult Problems in Windows 7 Free Webcast

Windows 7 is Microsoft’s most stable and reliable version of their desktop operating system yet, but it’s still such a complex piece of software that when something does go wrong it can be extremely difficult to diagnose and repair the problem.

As the author of “Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out” from Microsoft Press one of the most popular webcast requests I have received is for how you can diagnose and repair these complex and difficult problems, so on January 12th 2012 this is exactly what I’m going to do.

The webcast is completely free, live and starts at 10AM PT - San Francisco | 6pm – London | 1pm – New York | Fri, Jan 13th at 5am – Sydney | Fri, Jan 13th at 3am – Tokyo | Fri, Jan 13th at 2am – Beijing | 11:30pm – Mumbai

It can be difficult enough finding out what’s gone wrong with windows 7 or a program, but some problems can be a nightmare to diagnose. In this webcast, Mike Halsey, the author of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out talks you through how to diagnose really stubborn and hidden problems in Windows 7, and explains how you can go about fixing them.

In this webcast I’ll cover the tools and skills you’ll need to diagnose problems, and I’ll show you the extensive diagnostic tools that already exist inside Windows 7 to help you with the job.  In fact it’s possible to diagnose complex Windows 7 problems using nothing more than Windows 7 itself.

If you’re not able to make the webcast when it’s broadcast live, just register in advance and you’ll be given free access to watch it afterwards online through the O’Reilly website.  It will last for approximately 60 minutes and is part of a series of regular webcasts that, from February, will return to their regular first Thursday slot.

You can register for this free webcast here.

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© Mike Halsey MVP for gHacks Technology News | Latest Tech News, Software And Tutorials, 2011. | Permalink |
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Setting up and Configuring a new PC Live Webcast

Tis the season for people to buy you all manner of new technological goodies; at least you hope so.  I’m running a special pre-Christmas webcast on Tuesday December 13th on the subject of Setting up and Configuring a new PC.  The webcast is free for everybody and you can book your place on the O’Reilly website.  Better still there’s a special Christmas present for everybody on the day, so make sure you sign up (and have been a good boy or girl throughout the year).

Tis the holiday season bringing gifts of new computers for young and old. In this webcast, Mike Halsey the author of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out cuts through the mess of pre-installed bloatware and shows you how to set up your computer system so that it will give you a trouble free, and performance-boosted life. This webcast comes with free downloadable easy guides you can print and keep.

The webcast takes place at 10AM PT, San Francisco | 6pm – London | 1pm – New York | Wed, Dec 14th at 5am – Sydney | Wed, Dec 14th at 3am – Tokyo | Wed, Dec 14th at 2am – Beijing | 11:30pm – Mumbai.

My monthly O’Reilly webcasts are now booked for the first half of 2012.  You can get more information at OReilly.com/webcasts and each one will take place at exactly the same times listed above.  Put these in your diary and join me for these great live events.

January 12^th 2012 – Diagnosing and Repairing Difficult Problems in Windows 7

It can be difficult enough finding out what’s gone wrong with windows 7 or a program, but some problems can be a nightmare to diagnose.  In this webcast, Mike Halsey, the author of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out talks you through how to diagnose really stubborn and hidden problems in Windows 7, and explains how you can go about fixing them.

February 2^nd 2012 – Using Virtualisation in Windows 7

Despite Microsoft’s best efforts, Windows 7 won’t run every piece of software and some of it you might really want or need.  In this webcast, Mike Halsey, the author of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out explains how you can use free virtualisation tools in any edition of Windows 7 to keep valuable and useful older software working in a safe and secure way.

March 1^st 2012 – Building a Bomb-Proof Backup Strategy

Backup, Backup, Backup is a common mantra, but often it’s easier said than done maintaining a good backup strategy due to the time and effort involved long-term.  In this webcast,
Mike Halsey, the author of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out talks you through how you can build a simple, hands-free backup strategy that is quite literally bombproof.

April 5^th 2012 – Manually Removing Viruses and Malware from Windows 7

Getting a virus on your computer is a pain and they’re becoming ever more difficult to remove.  In this webcast, Mike Halsey, the author of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out talks you through the process of manually and safely removing viruses and malware from your computer without damaging your files or Windows itself.

May 3^rd 2012 – Building and Upgrading a PC

With computers now more powerful than ever before, and with wallets being squeezed, there are more and more reasons to hang on to your existing equipment.  But how can you breathe new life into an ageing PC on a tight budget?  In this webcast, Mike Halsey, the author of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out shows you how to quickly and simply get extra life and performance out of your PC, fix common hardware faults and what to look for to build a fantastic new PC from scratch.

June 7^th 2012 – Managing Family Safety in Windows 7

The Internet is a dangerous place and every parent worries about what their children might be doing, and what they might be exposed to online.  In this webcast, Mike Halsey, the author of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out walks you through the process of keeping your children and your family safe online from viruses, criminals and inappropriate content with simple to use free tools.

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© Mike Halsey (MVP) for gHacks Technology News | Latest Tech News, Software And Tutorials, 2011. | Permalink |
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Fix Your Windows Networking Issues, Top Tips and Webcast

Nothing seems to annoy PC users more than networking problems.  They begin with the inevitable when Windows fails to install the drivers for either your network controller card, your WiFi or usually both when you come to install the operating system.  Rather than just being able to get straight on with installing your software and Windows Updates you spend the next hour faffing around trying to find the appropriate discs and get the right drivers installed just so you can get online.

Then there are the problems associated with getting, and staying, online.  Once you’re there and connected there are inevitable breaks in your connection.  These are commonly unrelated to your own hardware and operating system but it doesn’t make them any less irritating.

Finally you have have issues with accessing other computers, devices and network shares on your home or office network, and anybody who has tried to get Windows 7′s HomeGroup feature to work reliably will know what I mean.  You might be pleased to hear then I’m running a completely free live webcast next Thursday November 3rd on the subject of Troubleshooting Network Issues in Windows 7.  It’s almost too big a subject to squeeze into an hour, but I’ll cover the most common problems and how to get and keep yourself online for both the Internet and your network.  You can pre-register for the webcast here.

The webcast will be followed by a Q&A and starts at 10 PT, San Francisco | 5pm – London* | 1pm – New York | Fri, Nov  4th at 5am – Sydney | Fri, Nov  4th at 3am – Tokyo | Fri, Nov  4th at 2am – Beijing | 11:30pm – Mumbai.  *IMPORTANT NOTE British Summer Time is ending this weekend and the clocks don’t go back in the USA for another week.  I’m not sure when the clocks go back in other countries but the times listed here (except for the UK time which is now correct) are summer times.  Check back on the day but I’ll make sure the website is updated in the next few days.

Anyway it really is a lot to squeeze into an hour so I wanted to share with you here some of my top networking tips, the first one of which you might find a bit odd.

Tip #1 – When Windows Won’t Start

This is by far one of my favourites as it involves PCs that just won’t start.  If you find that your PC hangs at the loading Windows screen and simply refuses to go any further unplug your network cable.  This problem can occur if your BIOS is set to allow network booting.  Simply unplugging the network cable will immediately allow Windows to continue booting.

Tip #2 – Turn it Off and on Again

You’d be surprised how many networking problems can be fixed by simply switching off your router and turning it on again.  This is especially true if you encounter the all-too common problem when networking and Internet works fine for all computers connected via a physical network cable but WiFi goes down completely.

Tip #3 – Change Your USB Socket

This is a very common one when a PC is moved from one place to another, such as when you move house.  You put the computer back together, plug your Wi-Fi USB dongle back in and suddenly discover that you can’t get online.  This is caused by a driver problem and can be simply fixed by unplugging the USB dongle and plugging it into the socket it was plugged into before.

Tip #4 – Delete Your WiFi Network

If your WiFi network is causing problems that include showing up as an unidentified network that you suddenly now can’t connect to, your settings for that WiFi network have become corrupt.  Go into the Network and Sharing Centre (accessed from the network icon on the Windows 7 Taskbar, or through the Control Panel) and click on Manage Wireless Networks.  Find the network that’s causing problems and delete it from your computer.  Now you can reconnect to it and build a new network profile that should work fine.

Tip #5 – Change the Channel

There are multiple channels that WiFi routers can be set to but some are set to either a specific channel or to fully automatic.  If you really arehaving trouble with your WiFi try loggin into your router’s administration settings and changing the channel.  Problems can commonly be caused if you have a neighbour also using the same network channel as you are.

What are your top networking tips?

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© Mike Halsey (MVP) for gHacks Technology News | Latest Tech News, Software And Tutorials, 2011. | Permalink |
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Post tags: networking, webcast, Windows