Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Windows Media Files open with Windows Movie Maker

QUESTION: When I try to open an attachment from my email it wants to open with Windows Movie Maker not the Media player. It never happened until I made a video. How can I have the attachment open with Windows media Player? I tried to set the default as Media player and it always goes back to current Player.

ANSWER: If you are saying that you went into the File Types (open any folder, click on the TOOLS menu, choose Folder Options..., then click on the tab File Types) and found the file extension for the type of attachment you want to open with Windows Media and reset it but it still opens with Windows Movie Maker, I don't know what you can do except uninstall Windows Movie Maker. Then, when you open the file, it should revert to Windows Media Player to open it. You can always install Windows Movie Maker again later if you want to.

To Uninstall, go to Control panel > Add/Remove Programs and do an uninstall Windows Movie Maker. To Reinstall later, go to Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add or Remove Window Components and add it again.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Volume and Network icons missing on

QUESTION: I opened my computer today and both my volume and network icons are missing off of my taskbar. When I click the "properties" option on my taskbar the options to place volume and network icons on the taskbar are greyed out. I'm on Windows Vista.

Do you have an explanation for this?

ANSWER: If you didn't do anything to cause it the last time you were on your PC, then I have no explanation because it's one of those things that shouldn't happen but does, i.e., a bug. But you can try the below with my usual caveat...proceed at your own risk. I accept no responsibility for the outcome since I'm not doing it myself.

Right click on taskbar, select Properties and click the tab Notification Area. Under System Icons, make sure the Volume and Network boxes are checked. If they are grayed out, then I would restore using (Note...if they are not grayed out, you can run through this anyway and see if it makes a difference. Sometimes, especially with Vista, things will appear to be set correctly, but aren't):

Click Start > Run > and type gpedit.msc. The Local Group Policy Editor window will appear.

[If you don't have Run on the Start menu, Click Start button, click All Programs, click Accessories and then click Run.]

Double click User Configuration, double click Administrative Templates, click on Start Menu And Taskbar.

Scroll down on the right pane and find Remove the networking icon. Double click on this item, and it should show Disabled. Select Disabled and click OK.

Scroll down almost towards the bottom of the list and find Remove the volume control icon. Double click on this item, and it should show Disabled. Select Disabled and click OK.

Close the Local Group Policy Editor

Log off and then log back into Vista.

Right click on taskbar, select Properties and click the tab Notification Area. Under System Icons, make sure the Volume and Network boxes are checked. Apply and exit by pressing OK.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Task Manager Disabled by Administrator

QUESTION: After formating c drive of my computer, I reloaded win xp-2 and I am having problem with my task manager showing message "task manager disabled by administrator."

ANSWER: I asked my PC Guru about this because it's not really a Windows "basic" problem and I am not a Windows technician. He's never heard of this happening after a brand new install of Windows XP but said that Microsoft has a solution (see below or go to their URL below). Please note that I'm not telling you to do this; it comes from Microsoft Support. If anything goes wrong, please don't come back and blame me!!

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555480

"Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator" error message

The following knowledgebase will help you to resolve the error message "Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator" when you try to use "Task Manager"

1. Verity that the "Local Group Policy" or "Domain Group Policy" doesn’t block you from using

"Task Manager".

1.1 "Local Group Policy"

a. Go to "Start" -> "Run" -> Write "Gpedit.msc" and press on "Enter" button.

b. Navigate to "User Configuration" -> "Administrative Templates" -> "System" -> "Ctrl+Alt+Del Options"

c. In the right side of the screen verity that "Remove Task Manager"" option set to "Disable" or "Not Configured".

d. Close "Gpedit.msc" MMC.

e. Go to "Start" -> "Run" -> Write "gpupdate /force" and press on "Enter" button.

Note: If you are using Windows 2000, please follow KB q227302 instead stage "e".

Using SECEDIT to Force a Group Policy Refresh Immediately
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q227302/


1.2 "Domain Group Policy"

a. Contact you local IT support team.


2. Verity correct registry settings::

a. Go to "Start" -> "Run" -> Write "regedit" and press on "Enter" button.


Warning: Modifying your registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system.
Always backup your files before doing this registry hack.

b. Navigate to the following registry keys and verity that following settings set to default:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"DisableTaskMgr"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy Objects\LocalUser\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"DisableTaskMgr"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system\]
"DisableTaskMgr"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"DisableCAD"=dword:00000000

c. Reboot the computer.