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Operating System virtualization on the client side has many benefits including better security and more flexibility.  Depending on the resources available on your computer you can setup an entire virtual lab running numerous operating systems for testing.  Additionally, virtualization allows you to test software and perform other activities in a sandbox environment that will not affect your primary...

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Would you like to configure the IP address and DNS settings of your Windows PC just using the command prompt?  Rather than click through the user interface, these items can quickly be set with just a few commands.

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When you buy a new computer it is often loaded with extra software that you just don’t need.  OEMs are paid by software companies to bundle trial versions in hopes that you will buy the full product. The preloaded junk is a waste of disk space, memory and can even hurt the performance of your new computer so it is a good idea to remove it all.

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One of the first tasks an administrator must do after building a Windows Server Core machine is set the network address and configure the machine name and domain membership.  There are command line tools for all of those individual features but Microsoft included a useful command called sconfig that allows you to quickly configure basic server settings.

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Microsoft has increased both the power and complexity of its popular Windows operating system with the release of Windows 7. The Tweak7 tweaking utility helps you configure Windows 7 to meet your personal needs by improving performance and customizing system settings.

Unlike other power tools for Windows, Tweak7 automatically prompts enhancement recommendations...

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Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 includes a new command line utility to enable and disable Windows features. The Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool (DISM) is perfect for IT professionals and power users that want to manage Windows components without using the GUI. Since it is a command line utility it can be used in scripts to manage components.

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Microsoft removed the legacy Windows Help .hlp file viewer, winhlp32.exe, from Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and all modern versions of Windows. Dating back to Windows 3.1, Microsoft says the Windows Help components have not been updated in years and no longer meets internal standards.  If you have an older application that still...

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I have already talked about the benefits of XP Mode that is part of Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions and how to get it setup but some of the most useful features are not enabled by default. All of the native Windows XP applications...

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Sometimes all of the compatibility settings in Windows 7 are not enough to make legacy applications run. XP Mode is a free download component for Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise customers that allows you to run legacy apps inside a Windows XP virtual machine running in the background. The end user does not have load and work inside the virtual machines...

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If you want the full Windows 7 experience the Aero glass interface is a must.  Without the slick glass interface a number of key features will be disabled such as taskbar thumbnails and Aero Peek. According to Microsoft the bare minimum requirements for Aero is a graphics card that supports DirectX 9.0 or newer and a native WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model) driver. In most cases when you install...

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