I get a lot of troubleshooting emails from people asking how to do X or why Z won’t work on their PCs. One of the common ones I get though is asking why you simply can’t do something on your computer that you were able to a few years ago.

One of the common misconceptions with Windows is that it’s flexible and highly configurable. Certainly compared to Apple’s OS X this is the case but only really where the desktop and the major interface controls are concerned. Under the hood it’s certainly the case that Windows is much less configurable than previous versions. It’s more locked-down with security features such as User Account Control (UAC) and facilities to prevent rootkits from accessing the kernel OS.

It’s the same thing with Microsoft software too, especially Microsoft Office. You can still write macros for it, if you understand the languages and coding structures involved, but some if not many of the nuance control that previous versions of the software gave us have been removed.

Some people might argue that the Ribbon UI has hidden many features and now made them harder to find. While this is true to a certain extent, many people would argue it makes previously hidden features much easier to access. The simple fact remains though that Office and other software have been streamlined and are less configurable than perhaps some people would like.

So why is this and is it a good thing? I’ve been watching this and have spotted a trend. The types of people who ask this question grew up with computers in the 80′s and early 90′s. This was a time when you would have to write code or enter a program before you could get a computer to do anything when you switched it on. The sky was the limit but you really had to know what you were doing.

As computers became more powerful and, more importantly, as they became more user-friendly, they had to appeal to much broader audiences; billions of people around the world were beginning to use them after all. This resulted in much of that nuance control being taken away and the computer users of the world being given software that will do so much, but only so much.

Now some of the emails I get are really probably people saying they’d like X or Y feature to be added. This would count more as product development than anything else, but some genuinely miss controls that have been removed.

So is it a good or a bad thing that we now have a situation where our control over the operating systems and software we use is being eroded? There is certainly a very strong argument from a security standpoint and Apple customers long ago stopped complaining about a lack of customisation options in OS X. For Windows though, which is renowned for being exceptionally tweakable, is the lack of control becoming a problem?

The argument then must be that in order to make software more usable for the many more people who will be using it, especially with packages such as office suites which will predominantly be used by non-technical people, they need to be simplified. This would inevitably result in some of the more advanced controls being either removed or very deeply buried.

Computers today aren’t really anything like the computers of yesteryear, they’re more just productivity tools and the lack of control and customisation reflects this. Those who really want control over their computer need to learn how to program so they can write code, macros and programs themselves.

Perhaps this is what people are missing then? As we’ve gotten more used to using computers for productivity, and as the operating systems and software have got more friendly, we’ve forgotten the subtle art of programming, a skill we honed on those early Commodore Pets, Apple IIs and IBM PCs. This all leaves me wondering if the answer is really still the same as its always been, but we’re all too comfortable now to bother.

Those of you who follow me here or somewhere like Twitter might know that I was invited to Microsoft yesterday for meetings. Apparently my name had been coming up in conversation and several people there wanted to see me. I thought I’d write up here about my experience at Microsoft’s UK campus for you here.

The campus is located in Reading, Berkshire in the south-east of England it consists of five huge office blocks set in extensive gardens with a lake and nature trail. This is lovely actually and the first place I headed for even before going to main reception. There is all manner of wildlife including some ducks that are clearly used to getting scraps of people’s lunch.

The gardens are also home to a summer house with free tea and coffee making facilities, juice and cola. This is a nice touch and there are free drinks all over the Microsoft campus along with bowls of fruit scattered around.

The five office buildings, which house around 1,800 staff are enormous and quite intimidating too in military grey. Main reception which is where I was headed is in building 2, but there are other receptions in different buildings for specific areas such as the customer centre. All of this though contributes to a very relaxed feeling and a very comfortable atmosphere in the offices themselves, that was very welcome.

I had several meetings, first with Ian Moulster, Product Manager on the Windows team and then lunch with Simon May an IT Pro Evangelist among other people. I’ll talk about some of the specific topics we discussed in part two of this write-up and show some of the technology I got to play with.

As for lunch, I ought to point out for anyone who’s ever been to Ikea that the Microsoft canteen made me feel I was back in the Swedish superstore, though there were no meatballs. They did have plenty of apples but when I asked about Penguin biscuits they admitted it’s not something they ever had available… hmm.

There are always lots of events going on at Microsoft’s UK headquarters and this day was no exception with the UK finals of the Imagine Cup, a worldwide student technology competition that we stopped in on while they were chilling out to a dance game on the Kinect.

It’s clear that this certainly won’t be my first visit here as there are plenty of other people I’m about to be introduced too so I’ll probably be back in Reading long before the end of the summer. I have to say that Microsoft’s UK campus is a genuinely friendly place to be. Everyone seems incredibly happy and they made me feel very welcome.

Simon May (IT Pro Evangelist) and myself relaxing after lunch

I passed on a long list of questions from readers of the websites gHacks and Windows7News that I also write for and I’ll publish the replies as soon as I get them back. We chatted about Windows 8 however and it quickly became clear that nobody at Microsoft will call it that. It’s not an official name yet so all conversation with Microsoft was about “Windows Next” which is the official code name for the product.

Windows Next is clearly extremely secret and, sadly, no amount of prodding got me any information other than what’s already been leaked because, to be honest, they didn’t know any more than I did. Redmond is clearly keeping Windows Next under very tight wrap, though we did discuss what might be possible nearer to any official announcement

It was great to see Microsoft senior staff not only welcoming feedback and input from me but actively asking my opinion on subjects ranging from Windows features, webcasts and marketing to the MVP program. I did genuinely feel as though Microsoft is a company that is actively listening to IT professionals and, as I now have many more contacts within the company than I did before, regular feedback is something I’m very happy to provide.

As part of my day at Microsoft I was given a tour of the campus, including the technology centre where, as you can see, I got to have a good play with Surface. I was hugely impressed with this technology not for what you can do with it, because there aren’t many actual applications to be honest, but for the attention to detail.

For instance, when you tap and item on screen with your finger to open it, sensors on the device automatically detect which way round your finger is to always make sure that the content is facing the right way. This is just one of the great features and we looked at the forthcoming Surface 2 which will scan documents when you do nothing more than place them on the screen.

The technology centre is seperated into zones, each one a different location (home office, work, home lounge etc.) where the company can showcase all of its hardware and software. While nowhere near as big as the technology centre in Redmond which contains an entire digital home, it’s very comprehensive and contains every Microsoft technology, always ready for live demonstrations.

There was a great deal to see and do at the Microsoft campus and, while I can’t tell you the details of the specific meetings that I had, there’s some very exciting stuff coming down the pipe where I’ll be appearing and speaking at some Microsoft events. On top of this there will be some special give-aways too 

I just love giveaways and so to celebrate that I’ve arranged yet another, this one with Microsoft Feed.  There are several copies of the book up for grabs and plenty of time to enter.

How to Win

Competition will end on Sunday, 01 May 2011 at 11:59 PM PDT (Pacific Daylight Time). We will select 02 Winners. So, what you have to do to win this Competition?

• Follow @Microsoft_Feed and @Mike_Halsey, and tweet about this competition.
• Don’t Twitter? That’s cool, you’re still eligible. Just go and register for MicrosoftFeed’s Newsletter. That’s it!

Competition Rules

• You can enter this competition as many times as you like, as long as you don’t spam.
• The competition ends on Sunday, 01 May 2011 at 11:59 PM PDT (Pacific Daylight Time).
• I will contact the winner through direct email or direct message on twitter.
• If a winner does not come forward, another winner will be randomly chosen.
• Winners will be announced on Monday, 02 May, 2011.

It’s all exciting stuff so get alone to Microsoft Feed today and tweet away for your chance to win a copy!

My book Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out from Microsoft Press has already been declared one of the  publisher’s top 25 eBooks of 2010, despite only being released at the end of October that year.  Now 2011 has got off to a cracking start with the paperback sitting resolutely in Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk’s top 2% best selling paperbacks.  We’re not just talking about computer books here either, this is of every paperback title that Amazon currently sell!

This makes the book one of the book-seller’s top selling computer and technical books, and puts it firmly in the same category as other best-selling titles from around the world.  This data is based on the book’s sales ranking over the last four months and the total number of books in Amazon’s ranking system.

The ultimate, in-depth reference for troubleshooting Windows 7 — from the inside out! This supremely organized book delivers hundreds of prevention tips, troubleshooting techniques, and recovery tools, with a companion ebook and additional content online.

You’re beyond the basics, so dive right into troubleshooting Windows 7 — and really put your PC to work! This supremely organized reference describes hundreds of prevention tips, troubleshooting techniques, and recovery tools in one essential guide. It’s all muscle and no fluff. Discover how the experts keep their Windows 7-based systems running smoothly — and challenge yourself to new levels of mastery.

• Take control of essential Windows 7 maintenance and security features, such as the Action Center and User Account Control
• Master quick fixes to the most common problems using expert tips and step-by-step repair guides
• Implement best practices to help prevent and combat viruses, malware, and identity theft
• Apply advanced troubleshooting techniques by understanding how Windows 7 works
• Diagnose hardware problems and work safely with your PC
• Develop a recovery plan to restore your system and data in the event of a disaster
• Know when to use power utilities for advanced performance, maintenance, and diagnostics

Your book — online!

• Get your fully searchable online edition — with unlimited access on the Web.

You can buy the book from Amazon US, Amazon UK, direct from O’Reilly or from any reputable bookseller worldwide

I was thinking about updating my “What I Use” article to share with you the hardware and software I choose to use in my own life, but thinking about it soon realised that I’m a complete Microsoft lock-in. Everything is either Microsoft this or Microsoft that and almost exclusively it’s based around Windows 7.

So let me explain why I have found myself so very locked in to the Microsoft Windows eco-system with a short tour around my own hardware and software.

I have two desktop PCs, the main one is a Core i7 system with 6Gb of RAM, an Intel 80Gb SSD, two 1Tb Samsung Spinpoint hard disks and a Radeon HD4850 graphics card. I also have an older Core 2 Duo system in my office with 4Gb of ram and a couple of older 1Tb hard disks inside. Both systems run on Windows 7 and have Office 2010 installed. Both of these I got through my Microsoft TechNet software subscription.

Then there’s my tablet, an ExoPC Slate again running Windows 7 with a dual core Atom processor, 2GB of RAM and a 64Gb SSD. My mobile is a Windows Phone, the HTC Mozart. I don’t own a laptop because I don’t like the proximity of the keyboard to the screen and I’ve found in the past when I’ve had laptops they’ve sat around unused. Finally I have a media centre PC under my TV running an AMD X2 processor and with 3Gb of RAM and a 500Gb hard disk. This is used exclusively for watching and recording TV and watching media stored on a couple of LinkSys NAS drives, for all of this I use Windows 7 and Windows Media Centre. I use this machine because there’s no set-top box yet that does everything I need and that includes a TV tuner and recorder.

You might be interested in why I got a Windows 7 tablet instead of an Android device. This was primarily for work reasons. With Windows 8 around the corner I want to be able to properly test it on a tablet device. When I reviewed the ExoPC Slate though I was hugely impressed with the hardware, it’s streets ahead of most if not all the current batch of Android devices and up there quality-wise with the iPad.

So all my computers are running either on Windows 7 or, in the case of the phone another current Microsoft OS. When it comes to the software I’m equally locked in. My anti-virus is Microsoft Security Essentials, I’ve already mentioned Office 2010 on my machines, I use Windows Live Mail and the rest of the Essentials 2011 suite for my email, photo management etc. and I use XP Mode on my PCs to run my favourite graphic design software, Microsoft Photodraw 2000 which might seem ancient now but is still I think streets ahead of current packages for power, flexibility and usability. Finally my media software is the Zune desktop software which I was using for a year or more before I got my Windows Phone because it’s so good.

Do I have non-Microsoft software? I use Google Earth because the Microsoft equivalent isn’t free, I have Nero installed for very occasional use burning discs (most of the time I’ll use the built-in tools in Windows, especially for burning ISOs) and there are some utilities including CCleaner, WinOptimizer, O&O Unerase and Skype. None of which Microsoft have an equivalent for.

In short the bulk of my software is from Microsoft, so why do I use all this? There are several reasons which include the fact that Microsoft, for good reasons or bad, are in a better position to be able to write software that works well with other Windows software.

Certainly where software such as Microsoft Security Essentials are concerned there are very good reasons. I recently tried Trend Micro Titanium anti-virus and firewall and found that Call of Duty Black Ops constantly stuttered when it was installed. MSE is a very lightweight package that only works when you’re not. I want my anti-virus package to be non-intrusive and the best alternative, AVG, has been getting very intrusive in recent years. MSE might not have the top scanning engine, AVG and Trend Micro currently hold those honours, but it’s an adequate performer for most people who don’t spend their lives on high-risk websites such as those with adult material, torrents or gambling.

I’m also a firm believer in not installing software that duplicates functions already in your operating system, Nero being the only real exception to this. The Zune player is by far the best media software on the market and as I don’t own an iPod or iPhone I’ve no reason to install iTunes.

I think it’s fine to be a lock-in. A very good friend is a complete Apple lock-in with an iMac and iMac laptop, iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. His reason for locking himself into the Apple eco-system was that everything needed to work well together. That’s my main reason for locking myself in with Microsoft, though there are other reasons too such as having to avoid the learning curve that comes with a completely different platform.

Everyone will set up their own system in such a way as it’s easy for them to use. For me, and it is “for me” because everyone is different and will have the setup that’s best for them, I’ve found Microsoft software to be the best way forward. Does this bother me? Frankly yes it does, though I don’t feel like a sell-out, I’m just taking advantage of the best out there, and if I feel that currently is mostly coming from Microsoft then that’s the way I’ll go.

My new book Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out from Microsoft Press goes on sale by the beginning of November and.

You can pre-order it here and from Amazon and it will be available from online retailers and all good bookshops.  Now as an exclusive I’m giving away a free chapter from the book, so you can see what to expect when it’s released.

The book is 526 pages and 27 chapters including everything from preventing problems from occurring in the first instance to identifying and fixing problems with Windows, your software, drivers and even the hardware inside your PC.

Chapter 16 “Windows Problems Demystified” covers what Windows 7 really is and talks about the core file types that make up the OS.  It talks you through how you can perform advanced file restore to repair the operating system and about the useful System File Checker that can use to check your copy of Windows 7 against the original install files from your installation DVD, and repair any files that have become corrupt, damaged or deleted.

Finally the chapter talks you through the process of creating a slipstreamed installation DVD, ready for the release of Service Pack 1.  This will enable you to install Windows 7 with SP1 already installed, and it will be essential for the system file checker to work once SP1 is installed on your computer.

You can download the free chapter HERE.  My “Windows 7 Power Users Guide” is still available to buy in paperback and as an eBook here.

AV Test have now released the results of their 2010 best anti-virus for Windows 7.  The tests put each anti-virus package through a rigorous set of tests to determine not only how good they are at detecting and removing malware and viruses, but also how usable the software is…

During the 2nd quarter of 2010 we have tested 19 security products in the areas protection, repair and usability. The “Protection” covers static and dynamic malware detection, including real-world 0-Day attack testing. In case of “Repair”, we check the system disinfection and rootkit removal in detail. The “Usability” testing includes the system slow-down caused by the tools and the number of false positives. A product has to reach at least 12 points total in order to receive a certification. 13 products have fulfilled our requirements and received an AV-Test certificate.

The following, in order from best score to worst, are the packages that have received certification, the top four also scored highest for anti-virus and malware protection.

1. AVG : Internet Security 9
2. G Data : Internet Security 2010/2011
3. Panda : Internet Security 2010
4. Symantec : Norton Internet Security 2010
5. F-Secure : Internet Security 2010
6. Kaspersky : Internet Security 2010
7. PC Tools : Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 7.0
8. BitDefender : Internet Security Suite 2010
9. Avira : Premium Security Suite 10.0
10. Microsoft : Security Essentials 1.0
11. Avast : Internet Security 5.0
12. Eset : Smart Security 4.0
13. Webroot : Internet Security Essentials 6.1

Old favourite McAfee failed to gain certification this year.

My personal recommendations are, as always, AVG and Microsoft Security Essentials.  Partly because they’re both free (AVG also has paid-for options). but also because they’re simple to set-up and easy to use.  Neither impact on your system resources very much either.

I will always recommend that you make sure you have anti-virus and anti-malware software installed and that you keep it up to date.

With USB3 devices and motherboards now beginning to appear you might be considering yourself upgrading your PC to the new super-speed standard.  But is it really as fast as promised?

I performed an admittedly, not very scientific test on my own new USB3-equipped PC with an external hard disk connected firstly via USB3 and then USB2.

USB2 gave us a maximum data transfer speed of 320 Mbps but USB3 raises the game to 480 Mbps, a speed increase of almost 25%.  USB2 has been with us now for over 10 years and has completely changed the world of computer peripherals, making it much simpler and easy to add external devices to our PCs and Macs.

In the test I transferred one large file, 3Gb in size to the disk and then a selection of 71 smaller files totalling 2.25Gb, recording the speed each time.  The results, you’ll be pleased to hear definitely bore out the promise of the new “super speed” standard.

The results of the test were…

1x 3Gb file, via USB2 > 1 min 47 sec…  via USB3 > 30 sec

71 files totalling 2.25Gb, via USB2 > 1 min 37 sec…  via USB3 > 34 sec

This is a clear speed and performance increase of far more than 25% for external USB3 devices.  This means that the next generation of mobile phones, tablet PCs and external hard disks that support it will perform significantly faster than their USB2 equivalent, and even faster than e-SATA can manage.

I then tried one more test, this time with a very large number of very small files, to see how USB3 equipped itself then.  I chose a collection of just under 32,000 files with a total size of 2.1Gb  The results were…

USB3 – 1 min 54 sec

USB2 – 3 min 11 sec

This is a very interesting result as while in the previous tests I was getting speed increases of about 3 to 3½ times (though still far lower than the advertised 10x speed), this was a much more modest speed increase.

As a baseline I also copied the files to another hard disk inside my PC using the standard SATA interface.  That copied the files in only 1 min 4 sec, much faster than USB3.  This clearly demonstrated the problem wasn’t caused by the mechanical limitations of the hard disk.

If you have lots of large files to transfer you’ll get the biggest benefit from the new faster USB, other than that, you might want to wait until the prices drop.  Whatever happens though you’ll certainly be happy with USB3 devices.

Okay, I’ll admit this is something I’ve been saying for years, but I don’t want to come across as being all “I told you so”.  The French National Centre for Scientific Research has researched the subject of backup CDs and DVDs and found that they don’t last the 100+ years that they’re supposed to.  In fact we can generally be lucky if they last five or ten.

Franck Laloe, of the Centre said “In the most severe cases, which were happily quite rare, the data on some discs lasted just one year”, as reported by the BBC.

This will no doubt come as a surprise to many because, unlike the magnetic tape backup mediums of yesteryear, optical discs are read with a laser and, as such, there’s no physical contact but Laloe added “Disc production varies. In the same brand we find discs produced by different manufacturers which means their quality and how long they last for is not necessarily the same.”

The researchers tested a whole variety of discs by  artificially aging them with heat, water vapour and light.

Moreover they discovered that a manufacturer’s branding on a disc could cause it to fail earlier due to problems with the ink on the surface.

As I say none of this will come as any surprise to a great many people and it’s no doubt why completely unmarked discs are so popular today.  It’s interesting however to see actual test data to back up what so many people have believed for so long.

The general advice is to re-burn your discs every two to three years to ensure data integrity.  Another way I personally have found useful is to simply read the disc every year or so.  For a reason I’ve never been able to explain, this seems to refresh the data charge on the surface so they can last a little bit longer.

It’s important though to note that, as so many more people are using optical discs on which to store their only backups of invaluable photos and videos, we should all take a step back and rethink our data backup plans.

Fortunately there are alternatives as the price of hard disks falls every year, and cloud-based storage becomes cheaper and easier to access.

So the rollout has begun and every PC user in Europe running XP, Vista or Windows 7 will shortly see the new browser ballot screen, if they’ve not seen it already.  Last night I got my update and along with it, a few surprises.

The first surprise was the apparent optionality of the update.  In Windows update Microsoft Browser Choice Screen Update for EEA Users of Windows was unticked.  Presumably this would only remain so for a short period of time before it becomes mandatory.

Upon restarting my PC, which wasn’t required, I was faced with both a notice about the ballot screen and a new icon on my desktop.

In addition, and as expected, the IE icon in my taskbar had disappeared.

The ballot doesn’t deactivate Internet Explorer, so simply closing this window won’t do any harm, you’ll still be able to get online and indeed Internet Explorer was still in my Start Menu and could be both run and repinned to the taskbar.

What I was interested in was that would happen if you did exactly that and just closed the window.  Well closing the information window will pop up the ballot whether you like it or not, ironically in Internet Explorer, but that too can either be happily closed or you can press a Select Later button, in which case you’ll be prompted the next time you start your PC.

The purpose of wanting to find this out was because a great many, indeed hundreds of thousands of people around Europe will wonder what this thing is that’s just popped up, not bother to read it and close it straight away.  They will then, should they have IE in their taskbar or Quick Launch area, wonder where it’s gone.

At least the Browser Choice icon will help in this regard, the the program remains in your \Windows\System 32\ folder as browserchoice.exe should you ever want to run it again.

It’s good that European users will get this browser choice and, in a way, a shame that people outside of the EU and also people who don’t currently have IE set as their default browser, are being denied it.  It’s a shame though that it’s not being used more forcibly against people running the notoriously buggy IE6 to force them to upgrade.  On the flip-side it’s an annoyance we could all well do without and is bound to cause a lot of confusion regardless.