Category: microsoft

How to Change User Account Control (UAC) Notification Settings in Windows 7

Information

When turned on, User Account Control helps prevent potentially harmful programs from making changes to your computer in Windows 7 by notifying and asking you for permission before letting the program run or install.You dont have this feature in Windows XP.

This tutorial will show you how to change the User Account Control (UAC) for when to be notified about changes to your computer.

Warning

Turning off UAC by setting it to the lowest bottom level will also disable Protected Mode in Internet Explorer.

Through User Accounts

1. Open the Control Panel (All Items View).

2. Click on the User Accounts icon.

3. Click on the Change User Account Control settings link. (See screenshot below)

4. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes to approve.

5. Adjust the slider to the level of protection of how much you want to be notified from UAC. (See screenshots below)

6. Click on OK when done.

7. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes to approve.

8. If you have just turned UAC off, then you will need to click on restart the computer, or manually restart the computer, to apply the changes. (See screenshot below)

NOTE:

Simply turning on UAC or changing the UAC level without turning it off will not require a restart.

November 19, 2010
How to Activate Windows 7 Online

Information

Activation is the required process of ensuring that Windows 7 on your computer is genuine and used according to the Microsoft Software License Terms. This tutorial will show you how to activate Windows 7 online with your valid product key number.

To activate online, your computer will need an Internet connection.

Note

Genuine Windows is a recurring process that checks your product key to ensure it’s being used with the hardware it was paired with during activation. If the product key is found to be non-genuine, or not valid, it’s likely that the product key is either being used on another computer or is counterfeit. For more information about genuine Windows, go to the genuine Windows website for FAQ’s.

You might have to activate Windows 7 again if:

You uninstall Windows 7 on one computer and then install it on another. During installation, enter the product key that came with Windows. If automatic activation fails, follow the instructions that walk you through activating Windows by phone. You will have 30 days to activate Windows.

You make a significant hardware change to your computer, such as upgrading the hard disk and memory at the same time. If a major hardware change requires activating Windows again, you will be notified and will have three days to activate Windows.

You reformat your hard disk. Reformatting erases your activation status. In this case, you’ll have 30 days to activate Windows again.

A virus or malware infects your computer and deletes your activation status.

Warning

You must activate Windows 7 within the 30 days grace period after installation before it expires. When Windows 7 is activated, you’ll be able to use every feature of Windows 7.

If you chose to automatically activate Windows when I’m online when you set up your computer, automatic activation begins trying to activate your copy of Windows 7 three days after you log on for the first time. See METHOD ONE below.

If you install Windows 7 on a second computer, you must buy an additional product key number to activate the second installation to continue using Windows 7 on both computers.

EXAMPLE: Windows 7 Activated

OPTION ONE

Automatically Activate Windows 7

NOTE:

This is for when you are doing a clean install or Upgrade install of Windows 7.

1. When you get to this step during installation below, type in your valid product key number and check the automatically activate Windows when I’m online box.

NOTE:

Automatic activation will now begin trying to activate your copy of Windows 7 three days after you log on for the first time.

OPTION TWO

Manually Activate Windows 7

1. Open the Control Panel (All Items view), and click on the System icon.

A) Go to step 3.

OR

2. Open the Start Menu, and right click on the Computer button and click on Properties. (See screenshot below)

3. Under the Windows activation section at the bottom, click on the 30 days to activate. Activate Windows now link. (See screenshot below)

NOTE: If you did METHOD ONE above, then you will see 3 days to activate. Activate Windows now instead.

4. Select the Activate Windows online now option. (See screenshot below)

5. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

6. Type in your valid Windows 7 product key number, and click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)

NOTE: You will not see this screen if you have entered your product key number during the clean installation or Upgrade installation of Windows 7, or if you did METHOD ONE above.

7. If successful, click on the Close button. (See screenshot below)

Note

If the product key is found to be non-genuine, or not valid, it’s likely that the product key is either being used on another computer or is counterfeit. For more information about genuine Windows, go to the genuine Windows website.

8. Windows 7 is now activated and genuine. (See screenshot below)

NOTE: Genuine Windows is a recurring process that checks your product key is being used with the hardware it was paired with during activation.

Tip

If online activation fails, then try to activate by phone instead.

November 19, 2010
How to Enable or Disable the Windows 7 Built-in Administrator Account

Information

Standard user (Users) – The standard account can help protect your computer by preventing users from making changes that affect everyone who uses the computer, such as deleting files that are required for the computer to work. We recommend creating a standard account for each user. When you are logged on to Windows with a standard account, you can do almost anything that you can do with an administrator account, but if you want to do something that affects other users of the computer, such as installing software or changing security settings, Windows might ask you with a UAC prompt to provide a password for an administrator account.

The default administrator account that is created during the installation of Windows 7, or setup already for you on a OEM (ex: Dell) computer, will have complete access to the computer and can make any desired changes. To help make the computer more secure, this administrator account may be asked with a UAC prompt to provide their password or confirmation before making changes that affect other users.

The built-in Administrator account is an account that has full access and permission on the computer, and will not be prompted by UAC.

This will show you how to enable or disable the built-in Administrator account in Windows 7.

Note

By default, the built-in administrator account is named Administrator, and is disabled.

Warning

If you enable the built-in Administrator account, it is recommended to create a password for it to help keep it secured.

OPTION ONE

Through Local Users and Groups

NOTE: This option will only be available in the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.

1. Open the Local Users and Groups manager.

2. In the left pane, click on the Users folder. (See screenshot below step 3)

3. In the middle pane, right click on Administrator and click on Properties. (See screenshot below)

4. To Enable the Buit-in Administrator Account

A) Uncheck the Account is disabled box. (See screenshot below step 6)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Disable the Buit-in Administrator Account

A) Check the Account is disabled box. (See screenshot below step 6)

6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

7. Close the Local Users and Groups window. (See screenshot below step 3)

8. Log off, and you will now see the built-in Administrator account log on icon added (enabled) or removed (disabled) from the log on screen. (See screeenshot below)

NOTE:

Click on the Administrator icon to log on to the built-in Administrator account.

OPTION TWO

Through a Elevated Command Prompt

NOTE:

This option can be used in all editions of Windows 7. If your Windows 7 uses another language than English, then you may need to translate the word administrator partof the commands below to your language to use instead.

1. Open a elevated command prompt.

2. To Enable the Hidden Built-In Administrator Account

A) In the elevated command prompt, type

net user administrator /active:yes and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 4.

3. To Disable the Hidden Built-In Administrator Account

A) In the elevated command prompt, type

net user administrator /active:no and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

4. Close the elevated command prompt.

5. Log off, and you will now see the built-in Administrator account log on icon added (enabled) or removed (disabled) from the log on screen. (See screeenshot below)

NOTE:

Click on the Administrator icon to log on to the built-in Administrator account.

OPTION THREE

Through Local Security Policy

NOTE:

This option will only be available in the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.

1. Open the Local Security Policy editor.

2. In the left pane, expand Local Policies, and click on Security Options. (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Accounts: Administrator account status and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

4. To Enable the Hidden Built-In Administrator Account

A) Select (dot) Enabled. (See screenshot below step 6)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Disable the Hidden Built-In Administrator Account

A) Select (dot) Disabled. (See screenshot below step 6)

6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

7. Close the Local Security Policy window. (See screenshot below step 2)

8. Log off, and you will now see the built-in Administrator account log on icon added (enabled) or removed (disabled) from the log on screen. (See screeenshot below)

NOTE:

Click on the Administrator icon to log on to the built-in Administrator account.

November 18, 2010
How to Use the BCDEDIT Command Line Tool

Information

This will show you how to use BCDEDIT in the command prompt and avoid the need of third party applications like EasyBCD.

Note

Bcdedit is a really powerful tool that Windows Vista and Windows 7 uses to manage the boot loader entries.

BCDEDIT needs a boot loader file to boot your system.

A boot loader is a file that contains necessary information that instruct the system how to boot/start an operating system.

Windows 7 and Vista bootloader file is \bootmgr

Windows XP bootloader file is \ntldr

BCDEDIT can support other bootloaders too, like grub for linux. You just have to place the bootloader file on the root of the boot manager partition. e.g. \grldr and you have a grub boot loader enabled.

Bcdedit edits a file called bcd , which is located in Windows 7’s hidden partition under \boot\bcd.

In Vista, its located under C:\boot\bcd.

Warning

You must be logged on in an administrator account to be able to do this tutorial.

To Use bcdedit:

1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Type bcdedit and press enter.

NOTE: By typing just bcdedit you just list your boot entries.

Example:

A boot entry consists of 4 main elements:

1. Identifier

The identifier is how the system has named the boot entry.

2. Device

The device is the drive or virtual image that the system will use to boot the boot entry.

3. Path

The path is the location on the device where the bootloader file is found.

4. Description

The description is the friendly name we give to our boot entry, e.g. “Windows 7“

You see next to the identifiers their UUIDs in {}. The UUID is the unique codename that the system gives to each boot entry and cannot be changed.

The standard identifier UUIDs are explained below:

{bootmgr} = the boot manager

{current} = the OS you selected to boot at startup.

{default} = the default OS selected to boot the PC.

{ntldr} = Windows Legacy OS Loader (for windows xp)

there are others like {memdiag} or {ramdisk} but they can’t be of much use right now.

Warning

IMPORTANT: make a backup of your bcd file first. To do that, type:

bcdedit /export C:\SAVEDBCD

This will create a file c:\savebcd which is your boot entry backup.

If you mess up, you can always undo changes by:

bcdedit /import c:\savedbcd

Now to see how we can control the above entries, here are some examples:

bcdedit /set {current} description “My edited Windows Boot Entry”

NOTE: This changes the title of the boot menu entry “{current}”.

bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=E:

NOTE: This tells bcd that Windows XP partition is drive E:

bcdedit /set {ntldr} path \ntldr

NOTE: This tells bcd that the ntldr file which is the winxp bootloader is on root folder “\” (of drive e: as stated above)

bcdedit /displayorder {ntldr} /addfirst

NOTE: This places Windows XP as the first OS on the menu list.

bcdedit /default {ntldr}

NOTE: This places Windows XP as the default OS to boot first with.

bcdedit /displayorder {33342343-3424-2342342342-2344} /addlast

NOTE: This tells bcd that the boot entry with UUID 3334… should be the last entry on the menu.

You can copy your existing VISTA or Windows 7 boot entry to another identical. Then you can change settings on the new entry to experiment. You will always have the first entry available, so it’s safe to play with.

bcdedit /copy {current} /d “New Windows 7 boot entry I just copied!”

this will give you a line:

NOTE: The entry was successfully copied to {4c21825f-e04b-11dd-b760-00195b61617a}. The {4c21825f-e04b-11dd-b760-00195b61617a} is the UUID of the new entry that the system just created. Yours will be different than mine! This is its identifier and you should use this to address that entry. Example:

bcdedit /set {4c21825f-e04b-11dd-b760-00195b61617a} numpoc 2

NOTE: This adds the 2 CPU Core support during boot, like you do in msconfig.

bcdedit /deletevalue {4c21825f-e04b-11dd-b760-00195b61617a} numproc

NOTE: This deletes the numproc parameter from entry {4c21825f….}

bcdedit /delete {4c21825f-e04b-11dd-b760-00195b61617a}

NOTE: This deletes the boot entry {4c21825f….} completely. In order to delete an {ntldr} entry, you must use the /f switch to force deletion: bcdedit /delete {ntldr} /f

You can always type just bcdedit to see your current settings.

What else can I do with BCDEDIT?

You can use BCDEDIT to alter any boot parameter , like you would in msconfig, only more. BCDEDIT works from booting with installation dvd too, so it can be handy for recovery purposes.

bcdedit /timeout 5

NOTE: This sets the wait-to-select-OS menu timeout at startup to 5 seconds . You will notice that I didn’t give a UUID above. If you omit the UUID, it applies automatically to the relavant UUID. So: bcdedit /timeout 5 is identical to bcdedit /set {bootmgr} timeout 5

Some more advanced examples:

bcdedit /set {current} detecthal yes

bcdedit /set {current} detecthal no

NOTE: The above commands sets the detecthal to yes or no for entry {current}

To create a new boot entry to load Windows XP from a partition on your disk:

NOTE: The example below uses F: as the Windows XP partition. Replace with your xp drive letter.

bcdedit /create {ntldr} /d “Windows XP“

bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=F:

bcdedit /set {ntldr} path \ntldr

bcdedit /displayorder {ntldr} /addlast

Note:

Final note: BCDEDIT works from installation boot dvd too. If you mess up with a setting and you cannot boot, just boot from DVD and enter Repair Computer, then go to command prompt and there you go. You can play again with bcdedit to restore your system back.

November 18, 2010
Installing and updating drivers in 7

This guide is broken up into a number of parts:

Intro to drivers

Driver guidelines

Finding & updating drivers

Using Driver Sweeper

Device Manger updates

INTRO:

Drivers instruct Windows exactly what hardware you have and what it does, along with any specific features. Manufacturers usually release new drivers frequently to keep their products updated and add new features. Performance is also usually improved, so it is absolutely vital to keep all your drivers updated. Use a driver sweeper for some drivers too.

GUIDELINES:

Install them in safe mode if you can. Otherwise, use safe mode if a normal 7 install fails. If you’ve built a new pc, then you’ll most likely install the drivers in 7, not safe mode.

Don’t bother with driver programs. Get them yourself. Do you trust a random app to stick a driver in the right place and ensure its installed correctly on top of a driver install? Use them only – only – if you really can’t find drivers and then uninstall them.

Reboot. Always reboot after each driver. Even better after you install them, reboot again later in the day.

Make sure it matches your hardware and for laptops, the model, and whether its x86 or x64.

Create a folder in your browser with links to your hardware and check this once a week.

Use Driver Sweeper for your graphics card and sound drivers. This will clean up any leftover junk in safe mode.

Try and find WHQL – Windows Hardware Quality Labs – drivers that have been certified by Microsoft.

Keep a backup of the latest drivers on an external hard disk in case 7 dies. If you use a backed up image, then recent drivers are available.

FINDING & UPDATING DRIVERS:

Finding drivers is usually easy. First you need to find out what is in your pc. I’d recommend HWInfo32. Install it and open it. Note the chipset and BIOS type/date then close the summary window. Then open up the tabs:

The drivers you want to update:

Chipset

BIOS

NIC (Network Interface Device) for Ethernet and Wireless.

Sound

Graphics Card

DVD drive firmware if necessary

Anything proprietary if necessary, such as Webcam etc.

Once you know the drivers, google any with the manufacturer such as nvidia driver and then bookmark the link in a folder. Download the drivers and then reboot after each one. If you have any problems open a thread in the drivers sub-forum or PM me. The BIOS will be from the PC manufacturer or the motherboard manufacturer and chipset most likely from AMD, Intel, Nvidia, or SiS:

AMD

SIS

NVIDIA

INTEL

DRIVER SWEEPER:

Use Driver Sweeper if you are updating some drivers. Driver Sweeper is a program that will remove leftovers from key drivers, namely graphics and sound. The first thing to do is to ensure that you have new and possibly old drivers on hand. Also, if you have 2 graphics cards – I have Intel and Nvidia in my ultraportable – don’t do this. The manufacturer will most likely have different instructions. Otherwise, this should work, along with SLI/Crossfire. Uninstall the drivers from control panel with the exception of ATI drivers. If you have ATI run the new installer, uninstall the old drivers, reboot, and then use Driver Sweeper. Reboot into 7 again and then re-run the Catalyst installer, this time choosing to install the new driver. For anything else uninstall anything other related like control panels. Reboot at the end:

Reboot into safe mode and then run driver sweeper.

Select Analyse and then clean – choose the right drivers you want removed! It will be all of them, just select the right ones above. Reboot once more into safe mode and install the newest drivers. Then reboot into Windows. Use driver sweeper if it can clean up any of your drivers. This will most likely be sound and display, but the app is updated and some more support will come for other bits of hardware.

DEVICE MANAGER UPDATES:

In device manager, right click the device and select update, try the internet and then try choosing from installed drivers. Also, use the Unknown Devices app from Halfdone Development to identify any hardware (usually) that has a question mark.

Otherwise install any drivers over old ones unless you find different instructions for the piece of hardware. The .txt readme will have instructions or the site. Some installers uninstall old drivers, tell you to reboot, then run the installer again to install the new ones. After you install graphics drivers re-run the Windows Experience Index assessment. If you follow these simple steps your PC will run better and driver problems shouldn’t exist.. If you can’t get any 7drivers, then it might time for new hardware that has support.

November 15, 2010
Create, Delete and Modify User Accounts in Windows 7

Good to know Info

This will demonstrate how to create, delete, and modify user accounts in Windows 7.

To invoke the main User Accounts dialogue, follow one of the methods below:

Click the Start logo and typewrite User Accounts into the search box and press enter.

Click the Start logo and then click Control Panel followed by User Accounts and Family Safety and finally User Accounts.

Either method will bring up the following dialogue panel.

This article shows the dialogue panels after you have simply installed Windows 7.

Choice ONE

TO CREATE A USER ACCOUNT

1) Click on Manage another account. This gets up the following dialogue. Ideally you will see two accounts – the Administrator account and the Guest account which is disabled by default.

2) Click on Create a new account to bring up the following dialogue.

3) Type in the wanted name for the account and select the wanted account type (I recommend that only Standard user accounts are created) and then click on Create Account to get the following dialogue.

Choice TWO

TO MODIFY A USER ACCOUNT

1) Look Up the above image and click the name of the account that you wish to modify. Here I am going to modify the account that I have just created.

2) For this example, I am going to modify the picture. Click on Change the picture to bring up the following dialogue.

3) Click on the image that you wish to use and then click Change Picture. This change is exhibited in the image below. Note that I have also produced a password, and that Create a password is now Change the password.

PASSWORD MANIPULATION:
4) To change it, click on Change the password. This brings up the following dialogue.

5) Make any required changes and click Change password.

6) To get rid of it, click on Remove the password. This brings up the following dialogue.

7) Click Remove Password.

CHOICE THREE

TO DELETE A USER ACCOUNT

1) Click on the name of the account that you want to delete. This brings up the under mentioned dialogue.

2) Make the decision as to whether or not you want to preserve the user’s files, and then click on Delete Files or Keep Files as you prefer.

October 28, 2010
Turn the Guest Account On or Off in Windows 7

SELECTIVE INFORMATION:

If you require someone to have temporary access to your computer, you can turn on the guest account. Individuals utilizing the guest account can’t install software or hardware, modify settings, or produce a password.

This article will show how to turn the guest account on or off in Windows 7. By default the guest account is turned off in Windows 7.

Word Of Advice

Since the guest account permits a user to log on to a network, browse the Internet, and shut down the computer, you should turn off the guest account when it isn’t being used.

CHOICE ONE

Turn On Guest Account

1. Open the Control Panel (Click on start logo and click on Control Panel,All Items View).

2. Click on the User Accounts icon.

3. Click on the Manage another account link.

4. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes.

5. Click on the named Guest account.

6. Click on the Turn On button.

7. The guest account is now turned on. End the User Accounts window.

Choice TWO

Turn Off Guest Account

1. Open the Control Panel (Click on start logo and click on Control Panel, All Items View).

2. Click on the User Accounts icon.

3. Click on the Manage another account link.

4. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes.

5. Click on the listed Guest account.

6. Click on the Turn off the guest account link.

7. The guest account is right away turned off. Close the User Accounts window.

October 28, 2010
How to Add Additional Time Zone Clocks in Windows 7

Selective Information:

Windows 7 can exhibit up to 3 clocks unlike Windows Xp: One for the localized time, and Two for the time in other time zones of your choice.

This article will demonstrate how to add an additional Time Zone clock.

Here’s How to achieve that:

1. Left click on clock on the taskbar and click on Change date and time settings.

A) Go to step 4 below.

OR

2. Right click on Time on the taskbar and click Adjust Date/Time.

A) Go to step 4 below.

OR

3. Open the Control Panel in Classic View, and click on the Date and Time icon.

4. Click on the Additional Clocks tab.

5. Check “Show this clock to add a clock.”

NOTE: You can add one or both clocks.

6. Click on the Select time zone drop down arrow and choose one from the list you want to be exhibited on this clock.

7. Enter a display name for this clock.

NOTE: You can type up to 15 characters.

8. Click on OK.

October 27, 2010
How to Uninstall or change a Program

Selective Information:
You can uninstall an application or program off your computer if you no longer utilize it or if you want to free up space on your hard disk.

This will demonstrate how to use Programs and Features in the Control Panel to see, uninstall, change, or repair programs that are currently installed in Windows 7.

In Windows XP, this would have been in Add and Remove Programs rather.

Tip
If the program you desire to uninstall is not listed in Programs and Features, then it may not have been written for this version of Windows. To uninstall the program, check the data that arrived with the program, or go to the program publisher’s/manufacturer’s website. Most programs install automatically in the C:\Program Files folder (option 3 below). Search in this folder some programs also include an uninstall program that you can use.

Programs and features embedded with Windows 7 can be turned off in Windows Features.
If the program doesn’t uninstall completely the first time, sometimes running the uninstall program a second time will succeed.

If the previous choice doesn’t cultivate, attempt uninstalling the program while Windows 7 is running in safe mode.

If you installed the program recently, you can try using System Restore to return your computer’s system files to an previous restore point dated before you installed the program.

OPTION ONE

Using Programs and Features

1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on Programs and Features.

2. Select a listed program to highlight it and see the accessible options on the toolbar for that program.

NOTE: The options will be either Uninstall, change, Uninstall/change, Repair, or modify/Repair. A program may not have all the options available for it.

If mouse is set to single click, then hover the mouse pointer over the named program to select it.
If mouse is set to double click, then left click one time on the listed program to choose it.

3. To Uninstall the Program

A) Click on the Uninstall or Uninstall/change (depending on the button displayed) toolbar button.

OR

B) Double click on the selected program.

OR

C) Right click on the chosen program, and click on Uninstall or Uninstall/change (depending on the pick available).

D) If you had only the Uninstall pick, then you may require click on Yes.

E) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (if administrator) or typewrite in the administrator’s password (if standard user).

F) Adopt the rest of the onscreen instructions to uninstall the program, then go to step 6.

NOTE: Some programs may require a restart afterward.

4. To modify the Program

NOTE: This will allow you to install or uninstall optional features of the program without uninstalling it. Not all programs use the modify button, and may offer only Uninstall.
A) Click on modify or Uninstall/modify (depending on the push button displayed) toolbar button.

OR

B) Right click on the selected program, and click on modify or Uninstall/modify (depending on the choice available).

C) Follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to change the program, then go to step 6.

NOTE: Some programs may require a restart afterward.

5. To Repair the Program

NOTE: Repair is usually used when you require corrupted files and settings substituted with original ones from the selected program’s installation program. Sometimes the entire program is just reinstalled with all files overwritten and settings returned to default for the selected program. Not all programs use the Repair button, and many of them will offer only Uninstall.

A) Click on the Repair or modify/Repair (depending on the button displayed) toolbar button.

OR

B) Right click on the selected program, and click on Repair or change/Repair (depending on the pick available).

C) Follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to repair the program, and then go to step

NOTE: Some programs may demand a restart afterwards.

6. When finished, close Program and Features.

OPTION TWO

Uninstall a Program through the Start Menu

NOTE: Some programs will add a shortcut in the Start Menu All Programs area that includes a pick to uninstall it.

1. Open the Start Menu and click on All Programs.

2. Click on the program’s folder to expand it.

3. If accessible, click on the program’s uninstaller shortcut

4. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (if administrator) or typewrite in the administrator’s password (if standard user).

5. Follow the remainder of the onscreen instructions to uninstall the program.

NOTE: Some programs may require a restart afterward.

OPTION THREE

Uninstall a Program through the Program Files Folder

NOTE: If the program is not named in Programs and Features (choice ONE) and is not in the Start Menu (option TWO), then you may be able to uninstall the program through the Program Files folder.

1. For 32-bit Windows 7, open the C:\Program Files folder, and open the program’s folder.

A) Go to step 3.

2. For 64-bit Windows 7, open either the C:\Program Files folder for a installed 64-bit program or C:\Program Files (x86) folder for a installed 32-bit program, and open the program’s folder (ex: picture-shark).

3. If available, click on the program’s uninstaller application file.

4. If reminded by UAC, then click on Yes (if administrator) or typewrite in the administrator’s password (if standard user).

5. Adopt the rest of the onscreen directions to uninstall the program.

NOTE: Some programs may require a restart afterward.

October 27, 2010
How to Uninstall Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta and RC

Information
Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta adds a clock time with an termination date of June 30, 2011 to your Windows 7. You will be reminded starting on March 30, 2011 about the termination date, but you will be able to use your system to assist beta test the SP1 beta until June 29, 2011. Later, you will need to either upgrade to the eventual edition of SP1 when released in the first half of 2011 or uninstall the Beta version of SP1 to be capable to utilize your Windows 7 again.

This article will demonstrate, how to uninstall Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta in case you have issues with operating the SP1 beta, before the SP1 beta dies, or you are installing the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RC build.

For more info about Windows 7 SP1 Beta FAQ’s, see:

Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 Beta FAQ’s

To download and for more info about Windows 7 SP1 RC, see:

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Release Candidate (KB976932)

Note
When you download and install the “Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RC”, it adds a watermark to your desktop letting you know that this is right away a evaluation copy of Windows 7.

Word Of Advice
You will have to uninstall Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta before you will be able to install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RC.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RC will end running on November 30, 2011. Before this date, you will need to either upgrade to the final version of SP1 when released in the first half of 2011 or uninstall the RC version of SP1 to be capable to use your Windows 7 again.

OPTION ONE

Uninstall Windows 7 SP1 Beta or RC using Programs and Characteristics
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on Programs and Features.

2. Click on the View installed updates link in the left pane.

NOTE: If you don’t find Service Pack for Microsoft Windows (KB 976932) in the list of installed updates, or if the uninstall option is disabled, use System Restore to uninstall the service pack.

3. Click on Service Pack for Microsoft Windows (KB976932) to uninstall.

NOTE: You could also select Service Pack for Microsoft Windows (KB976932) and click on the “Uninstall” push button on the toolbar, or right click on Service Pack for Microsoft Windows (KB976932) and click on “Uninstall”.

4. Click on Yes.

5. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta or RC will now start uninstalling. It will take a bit of time to complete.

6. When prompted, restart the computer to finish.

OPTION TWO

Uninstall Windows 7 SP1 Beta or RC using a Advanced Command Prompt
1. Open a elevated command prompt (Run as administrator).

2. In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below and press enter.

Wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:976932

3. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta or RC will now start uninstalling. It will take a bit to complete.

4. When prompted, restart the computer to finish.

OPTION THREE

Uninstall Windows 7 SP1 Beta or RC using System Restore

WARNING: Performing a System Restore will also withdraw any programs and revert any system changes that were made since you installed the service pack. System Restore will not affect any personal files in your user folders.

1. Do a system restore using a restore point that has the same date or before you installed the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta or RC.

NOTE: The restore point created automatically when you installed the SP1 beta will be labeled either Install: Windows Update or Install: Windows 7 Service Pack 1.

October 26, 2010