Windows 7 - Clearing up space 2.7GB from the WINSXS folder

(NOTE : There should be images from Windows 7 below, but I already upgraded to Windows 8. It is a great improvement if you use a keyboard as a main input device, and I imagine that if you use a mouse or a touchscreen a lot, Windows 8 must even be better. Nevertheless, the instructions and Windows Explorer work just the same.)

If you are upgrading to Windows 8 and find yourself limited on space, clearing out every GB of space you can is necessary. I only have a 60GB drive, so clearing 20GB for a 64-bit installation was not easy. I only had about 1GB of photos, no music, and not much else. For sure some junk was here and there, but I needed to clear out programs that I didn't need anymore. After uninstalling what I could, moving media and other personal documents, I was still about 5GB short of space.

Fist off, I recommend that you try Folder Size - the program will list the data in each folder. It may tell you where there is something well off.

That is how I found WINSXS...

The c:\Windows\winsxs contains a lot of folders, and presumably files that haven't been used. That could be the case at the time of installation, or since an update came along. To be sure that you are not deleting files that you will need, the recent files must be sorted from the current ones. Using a details view in Windows Explorer, add a column  "Date Accessed".
Sort using that column and you may find folders that date back to 2009. Select and move to another folder. (Ironically, my screenshot is of Windows 8 with files of 2012!)
 
Reboot.

Run applications that you normally use.


If all is well, you can just delete those files.

I gained 2.7 GB of free space.

For the time being, I will leave Windows 8 intact. It will need customization down the line, however I appreciate how snappy it is compared to Windows 7 or OSX.

Silverlight - Windows 7 x64 - error 1603 - Solution

A few days ago I had to install the Lync Communicator client on my PC for work. I first tried installing the 2013 version, but learnt that that was impossible as I have Office 2010 on my system.

Lync 2013 http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/confirmation.aspx?id=35450

Lync 2010 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-ca/lync/gg236589.aspx


The installation of Lync was easy, however I got a message at the end of the installation stating that :

SILVERLIGHT IS REQUIRED FOR LYNC

Ok, I thought, download the installation package, install it, and I will be done. Not so. Silverlight would install up to 99% and say "Installation failed" - Error 1603.

Install as administrator - no dice.

There was a problem with the permissions.

 This is what I had to do :

1. Extract the contents of the Silverlight installer  ( Silverlight_x64.exe) with 7-zip.

 

 Then extract the .7z file. I extracted it to a separate folder so that it is easier to see :

 

And lastly, Take Ownership of the Silverlight.msp file.

 To install it, select Apply

 

And you should be able to install Silverlight. 

Firefox CTRL+J to open and CLOSE the Download Manager - SOLUTION

Firefox remains the best browser around. Unfortunately, an update, that provides an improved download manager, has taken away the functionality to close the window with the same shortcut that is used to open it.

Go to the URL  : about:config

Search for the name : browser.download.useToolkitUI

Change it to True


All done. Restart Firefox and the old functionality of using the CTRL+J to open and close the download manger will be restored. 

I regret getting a Nokia Lumia 520 Windows Phone 8 : I really should have gotten an Blackberry with a QWERTY keyboard

Getting a new phone is more of a hassle than anything else. I didn't mind the flip phone that I had, which was replacing my old Huawei u8350 Boulder (QWERTY with Android 2.3.4 - Icy Tiramisu custom ROM) which did not support CDMA, but now I was roaming all the time so I had to change carrier.

Koodo Mobile is the only one that made sense given I am travelling in Canada. Phones are not exciting, nor are they objects of prestige. They are consumer devices with which we use to communicate with others, or use as forms of entertainment. Spending anywhere from 200$ to 700$ on a mobile phone is not for me, so getting an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S4, was out of the question.
My choices were limited to the Blackberry 9320, the Nokia Lumia 520 and the Samsung Galaxy Ace.

Given my main operating system is Windows, I thought it would make sense to get the Nokia Lumia 520 Windows Phone. Unfortunately, I wish I could have my old u8350 back, or should I say that I should have gotten the Blackberry.


Windows Phone is very slick and smooth, but when it comes to typing a message, word suggestions just can't match a physical QWERTY keyboard. Furthermore, it is tiring to browse through pages with finger swipes. Why not just a page down or a side button? What annoys me the most of the touch screen phone is the fact that the screen is huge, but whenever you have to type something, ie. a text message, an e-mail or a web-search, you have to touch the are where you will write, and then half of the screen is lost to the keyboard.


Touchscreen are a good concept, but for day to day input, they are more trouble than they are worth. Were I not in a remote location, I would exchange this phone right away and get myself a Blackberry or an Android with QWERTY keyboard.

A few other gripes I have about WP8 (Windows Phone 8) is the access to the files via Windows, which was very easy with Android, inability to customize the notification sounds and lastly the non persistent status bar. 

What I do like of the Nokia Lumia 520? The dedicated camera button is excellent, the Nokia apps are just fine and the sound is stellar.

I would now consider spending the extra money and getting a Blackberry Q5. We'll see how often I have to use the phone. Hopefully not that often.

Super Junior's ode to Sony for the GTA V leaked content

Pre-purchases do not make much sense to me, but developers and manufacturers can bank on the revenue ahead of time and possibly turn out a better product.

It was reported that Sony apparently leaked some details about the upcoming GTA V bonus content. Some companies leak a lot of information with the intent of building up the hype. Some technologies do change lives, however many forms of entertainment are reiterations of stories of the past.

I wonder how much one needs to watch mafia or gangster style movies to understand the plot or context of the GTA series.

With regard to Sony's apology, it may just be in fact a way of saying thank you for producing the title.

Lenovo is looking into acquiring smartphone companies: Apple and other small fry

In order to keep on developing new products and stay at the cutting edge of technology, companies need to expand by increasing in-house R&D, contract out product development, form partnerships or make acquisitions.  The Beijing based technology company, Lenovo, has bucked the trend of most computer manufacturers and has seen growth since 2011. It has also increase its market share of mobile devices.

The iconic ThinkPad trademark became part of Lenovo's product line in 2005 and the the team's innovations continue to shine. There are high hopes for the potential new acquisition. A recent report suggests that Lenovo is making acquisitions of smartphone manufacturers. Blackberry may be too troublesome, albeit its great array of patents, but the Taiwanese manufacturer HTC may also be in Lenovo's sights. The acquisition of a HTC by Chinese company will not only stir up the technology industry, but also fire up the nationalist debate around the China-Taiwan ongoing cultural, political and economic integration.

With the regard to the purchase of Apple, Lenovo may not have to wait long. As Apple is losing market share in smartphones as well as tablet computers, the obstacles remain cost and politics. Even falling to near half of its peak value in 2012, Apple (APPL) is overvalued and investors, like consumers, are being shown less reasons to jump on the bandwagon. As for the political aspect that may make the acquisition doubtful, there are security issues: American lawmakers have proved to be reluctant to the presence of Chinese. companies such as Huawei, in the domestic market. The acquisition of Apple by  Lenovo may also be dissonant with one brand's perception which reflects vanity, entitlement and a lack of responsibility, to the other image of traditional values such as hard work, frugality and modesty.