Configure a USB flash drive to be a Windows 7 installation platform

I recently discovered a technique on the Microsoft TechNet Magazine site that describes how you can use a USB flash drive to install Windows 7.

This technique is very cool for two reasons: First, a flash drive is much more responsive than an optical drive since it doesn’t rely on physically moving components, so the installation procedure will be faster. Second, it provides an easy way to install Microsoft Windows 7 on a system that doesn’t have a DVD drive, such as a netbook

In this edition of the Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report, I’ll show you how to use the DiskPart utility to configure a bootable USB flash drive that you can then use to install the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system.

Change the registration information in Windows Vista with this handy tool

When you install Windows Vista, a part of the installation procedure prompts you to enter your name and you company’s name. This information can then be displayed in the About dialog box, which you can access by pulling down the Help menu and selecting the About command in any native Vista application. You can also display the About Windows dialog box by typing Winver in the Start Search box or in the Run dialog box

This registration information is stored in the registry and can be changed by carefully editing the data with the Registry Editor. However, not everyone is comfortable with firing up the Registry Editor and delving into the registry.

That’s why I created the Vista Registration Changer utility, an HTML Application (HTA) that combines HTML, Windows Script Host, and VBScript to create nice little GUI application for easily changing the registration information. Read more.

Classic Microsoft commercials and videos you may have forgotten

Everybody is now familiar with the Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld Vista commercials as well as the I’m a PC commercials that Microsoft began using as retaliation to the Apple’s Hello, I’m a Mac series of commercials. However, Microsoft’s advertising campaigns have a long history.

In this blog post, I’ll take a look back at some of Microsoft’s classic Windows commercials. I’ll also toss in a host of other Microsoft related videos for your entertainment pleasure.

Enjoy

Elevate privileges automatically with Elevation PowerToys

I recently received an e-mail from a reader who asked me if there was a better way to elevate privileges when running scripts in Microsoft Windows Vista. He went on to explain that the only existing procedure for doing so was kludgy and removed the convenience factor inherent in using a script to automate a task.

That’s when I realized that I hadn’t written about the Elevation PowerToys for Windows Vista, which were specifically designed to address this problem.

In this edition of the Windows 7 and Windows Vista Report, I’ll introduce you to the Elevation PowerToys for Windows Vista and show you how to use them to more easily launch scripts that require elevated privileges

Input this: Wild and wacky keyboards

Who says that keyboards have to be boring?

In this gallery, I’ll present a collection of 19 very interesting keyboards and one accessory that you can use to spice up your plain old white keyboard.

10 cool things you can do with a USB flash drive

Transporting your data is probably the most common use for a USB flash drive. But there’s a world of other things you can do with these handy pocket-size drives. Here are 10 ways you can use that USB flash drive to do more than just move data.

Microsoft Windows 7 final pricing is revealed and analyzed

Well, the Windows 7 pricing saga has come to an end. On Friday July 31, Microsoft tied up the loose ends by revealing the prices for the rest of its Windows 7 products — Windows Anytime Upgrade and Family Pack Pricing — on the Windows 7 Blog. Let’s take a look at the details.