Have Laptop Will Travel

How To Fix The COM Surrogate Error in Windows Vista

Originally posted on May 28, 2007 @ 6:18 am

Ever since the day I installed Windows Vista on my main desktop, I have had a rather annoying error message popping at rather irregular times.

Com Surrogate Error under Windows Vista

Closing the program helped, but there weren’t any Microsoft updates available, preventing the COM Surrogate Error to appear again after the next reboot.
Easiest to do was to deactivate DEP under Windows Vista for this service and the problem was tricked out. See our How to deactivate DEP in Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista entry if you don’t know how to do this.

When I received my new notebook, first thing I did was format the Windows Vista Home Premium install and all the Dell utilities. After I installed Windows Vista Enterprise and all the software I need, I noticed that the COM Surrogate Error didn’t appear, which was weird because I installed exactly the same programs and the Dell QuickSet tool.
And honestly, I can’t imagine that a Dell utility would solve any kind of problems, so I started to analyze what was different between both computers. But then I remembered that I had updated two programs before I installed them K-Lite Mega Codec Pack and Nero. Both Windows Vista ready now. And after I removed the dllhost.exe entry from DEP the COM Surrogate Error was also gone.

After around 15 years as computer user, I should have known better. I think I will spend my afternoon updating some programs, because my Vista install on the desktop is some months old already and I am sure some programs could perform better. And it will only make me love Windows Vista even more.

Remember to update your software anytime a new release is available. Check regularly the manufacturer’s site if you’re having problems with Windows Vista, because a new and Vista optimized release might be available. ;-)

Consumers Demand XP Over Vista

Originally posted on April 20, 2007 @ 11:18 am

In what must be taken as the biggest implicit blow Microsoft’s Vista has taken, it seems customers are requesting to have XP instead of Vista. Customer demand is so great for XP over Vista that Dell changed its policy midstream and today announced that is once again offering consumers the chance to take XP instead of Vista.

Dell and Microsoft play it down as an innocuous move, but take note that this was totally consumer driven. It wasn’t just a handful of tech geeks (they would have gone for Ubuntu anyway). It’s not often that a massive company like Dell does an about-face on product offerings. The only explanation for the move to re-issue systems with XP is that there’s a substantial cultural undercurrent that is not happy with Windows Vista.

To be honest, I can’t say that I’m one of them. I use Vista and actually like it. Wouldn’t go back to XP. But, I’ve gotta call things as I see them, and the way I see things right now is that Microsoft has a major problem with public perception of Vista (probably not helped by the Mac vs PC commercials!)

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Laptops and Jihad

Originally posted on April 11, 2007 @ 8:44 am

Jihad and Laptops

Here’s your chance to vote.

Will giving laptops away virtually for free in countries with heavy influence from radical Islam result in:

A) A new generation of peaceful Muslims who appreciate the generosity of the West

or

B) A new generation of tech savvy radical Musilims ready to wage jihad with their laptops?

3 Ways to Avoid Internet Fraud

Originally posted on May 17, 2024 @ 6:45 am

While we can rely on the police in a physical setting to keep us safe, the digital world can be a little more of a grey area. The threat of fraud is more prevalent than ever on the Internet, with cybercriminals lurking in all sorts of places. The problem with the Internet is that the criminals are more intelligent than your average thug. They set up complex schemes that can lure you in and do more than just steal your wallet. Someone can potentially steal your entire identity. However, you can increase your chances of staying safe and avoiding fraud by employing the following methods.

Be Careful for Phishing

Phishing is one of the most common ways that Internet criminals attack. Essentially, phishing is when a cybercriminal masquerades as a reputable business or entity and sends a deceptive e-mail or direct message to trick the receiver into providing sensitive information about themselves. 

Sometimes they may ask for your password or even ask for your credit card details. Sometimes these emails seem so convincingly real that even the most Internet-savvy people fall victim to these tricks. The best way to avoid phishing scams is to carefully scrutinize any incoming emails that have a suspicious sender address, spelling errors, or blatantly ask you for personal information. 

If you have to click a link outside of the e-mail, then this is a pretty big red flag. Never click an outside link or download an attachment. Instead, call the business directly and ask whether this is in fact an email from them if it’s important.

Choose A Strong Password

An even easier way that criminals can get your personal information is by letting themselves right in by guessing your password. Make sure that you choose a strong password that doesn’t have any easy information in it to guess. In other words, don’t choose your pet’s name or your daughter’s birthday. 

Use multiple combinations of letters, numbers and special characters. If you can’t think of a password yourself, then there are plenty of password generators online that can help you make one. Try to change your password from time to time, and by all means, don’t use the same password for every single website. If a hacker guesses your password to one website, then they’ll have access to anything with only a few small clicks.

Only Purchase From Reputable Websites

Not all that shines is gold, especially not on the Internet. Only purchase items from reputable sellers and websites. Just because an image looks like a site might seem legitimate, you can never be too sure. Try to stick to secure and trusted websites like eBay and Amazon. When in doubt, you can always do a Google search for an online merchant’s reputation, and you usually see whether people have had bad experiences or positive ones.

3 Tips For Better Posture and Ergonomics When Using A Laptop

Originally posted on February 18, 2019 @ 3:30 am

For many modern workers, a huge portion of their workday is spent using a laptop. Whether you work remotely, spend time traveling for work, or just prefer to use a laptop over a desktop, you might be one of the thousands of professionals who accomplish their work on this type of computer. And while there’s plenty of information out there for how to have good posture and create an ergonomic space for people working on computers at a desk, using a laptop often brings about even worse posture and more physical issues that people don’t know how to combat. So to help you to feel better after working for hours on end, here are three tips for better posture and ergonomics when using a laptop.

The Importance Of Keeping Your Screen At Eye Level

One of the biggest problems with working on a laptop is that the keyboard and screen are connected. This can make it very easy for you to put the keyboard at an angle that’s comfortable but leave the screen in an awkward position for your body. Rather than doing this, NHS.uk recommends that you do what you can to keep the screen at eye level. By doing this, you’ll have far less strain on your head and neck, which can help to alleviate headaches that you may have been having as a result of working on your laptop.

Use Positions That Reduce Strain

Because of the way laptops are set up, you might find that it’s hard to get in a comfortable position when using them. If you’re sitting at a desk or table, you’ll likely be sitting in a more traditional position that will help to reduce strain to your joints and muscles. But if you don’t want to be sitting at a desk or table, Nancy Messieh, a contributor to MakeUseOf.com, recommends you try lying down with your knees up and your device resting on your thighs. If you don’t want to lay down, you should at least put a pillow behind your back when sitting on a couch or bed so you can have the support your body needs to reduce strain.

Consider Using An External Mouse and Keyboard

To get the most ergonomic set up with your laptop, Stephanie Burke, a contributor to Spine-Health.com, suggests that you consider just getting an external mouse and keyboard. By having these items disconnected from your laptop, you’ll be able to set up your work area so that you’re putting reduced stress on your hands, wrists, elbows, neck and more. This will allow you to have the monitor at eye level, the keyboard set so your elbows are resting at 90 degrees, and your wrists in a more natural position for using a mouse.

If you frequently do work on a laptop, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you have better posture and a more ergonomic set up.