Pecos SWW<>How to Personalize Windows Vista

How to Personalize Windows Vista Following a Full System Reinstall

Welcome to the Pecos Buffet! Grab a plate and help yourself.

Overview

This is a companion article to the 10 things you should do when reinstalling Windows article at Tech Republic. Please read this article first if you have not already done so.

This article does not have a beginning, middle or end. It does have discussions about Windows Vista reinstallation issues and an appendix full of step by step instructions about how to personalize and configure Vista. Like a buffet, you will find a cornucopia of tasty entrees some of which you will enjoy partaking of and others that you would rather pass by. Don't try and gorge yourself in one sitting. Take a peek at what is on the buffet table and then come back at a later time for more.

Whether you are installing Windows Vista for the first time, reinstalling Vista or ordering a new computer with Vista, you will want to personalize various settings for the way you like to use your computer. Windows Vista has more built-in tools than any other previous version of Windows. Some of these options like Power Settings you may be familiar with. Others like Previous Versions may be new to you.

I hope you brought your appetite with you!

Please Note: While I have been careful to verify the accuracy and completeness of the information in this article, there may be errors in the information provided or it may not be appropriate for your specific system configuration. Use the information at your own risk. If you do find an error, please take the time to report it to me immediately.

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices now!

The Need to Reinstall Vista

I had the unpleasant experience recently of finding several Trojan Horses on my computer. This was very disconcerting to me. I take pride in my careful use of the Internet. The first Trojan was the result of a very well known and respected game demo. I don't game much anymore but this was a new demo of a game that I had played years ago. I do not know if this is a Trojan that was downloaded from a legitimate Website, hacked by someone else or misidentified by avast!

The second Trojan is still a mystery although I do have my suspicions. It was only found after a thorough scan using avast! anti-virus. The Trojan was found in a MEMORY.DMP file and you only get that file after a BSOD. After removing the MEMORY.DMP file, it and the Trojan returned after another BSOD. I know what causes the intermittent BSODs, and it is not the Trojan Horse. The Intel 537EP chipset in my modem is not 100% vista compatible and I will very infrequently get BSODs during shutdown.

I believe that I may have found the source of the second Trojan, a freebie music download site. The Trojan was not reported after discontinuing all downloads from the music download site. Since the Trojan is only discovered in a thorough scan and only in the MEMORY.DMP file, I am not convinced that this is a known Trojan. Just to be safe, I decided to reload Vista and I won't be reinstalling the download manager from the free music Website.

The way these free music Websites work is that you can download and listen to MP3 files as long as you remain a member in good standing. To be a member in good standing you must periodically answer a survey and support their advertisers by clicking on their ads. Digital Rights Management is enforced. If you do not reapply, the DRM rights expire and your MP3 files will no longer play. I think this is a great idea. I can listen to new music and download old favorites. What is not such a great idea is what if anything the required download manager is uploading to the mother site. When your anti-virus starts reporting Trojans, a site-specific download manager is the first place you should consider as a possible culprit. The problem is that I just don't know what personal information is being reported by the music download app, if any.

I had a few problems during my latest reinstall. Microsoft has done a good job with the new Vista install utility. Gone are the ugly black DOS-like screens and good riddance. I started the installation but when I got to the product key, I got an invalid product key error. I knew I could leave the product key blank and enter it later once Windows was installed but I decided to cancel the install and get my product key from Windows. I soon learned that it requires a third party app to view the product key. I found a very simple and efficient tool called Product Key Finder at CNET that did what I needed without the bloat. I found the key and copied it down on a piece of paper to keep with the Vista DVD. I also added it to my logins and passwords spreadsheet.

The product key I found was entirely different than the one on the label. I vaguely remember calling Microsoft when I couldn't do an online validation after a reinstall. I used this key during the second install. It too failed. I left the product key blank and selected the right version of Vista - the one I had purchased. To activate my key I will be taking that refreshing pause from my busy day to say 25 letters and numbers into an inanimate object to another inanimate object. That will fail and then I will have the pleasure of repeating the process to a person living on the other side of the planet. Then Microsoft will verify that I do indeed legally own Vista Ultimate and will provide me a new 25 letter and number key that I will once more add to my spreadsheet.

If you are looking for my opinion about the Vista SP1 security issues, it can be found in the Editorial Privilege section.

The Pecos Buffet

My Core Apps
My First Hand Experience Installing SP1 Manually
Partition Imaging with MaxBlast 5

The Buffet Dessert and More from Your Gracious Waiter
Editorial Privilege

Appendix A contains a step-by-step guide for personalizing various features of Vista.

Before Reinstalling Windows Vista
Take a Snapshot Image of Your Desktop
Get the dial-up ISP number
Export MS Mail Messages
Export IE Favorites
Export Firefox Bookmarks

Reinstalling Windows Vista
How to Access the 'Installing Windows' Help File
Install Windows in Windows

After Reinstalling Windows Vista - Personalizations
Change Clock Gadget
Change Display Resolution
Change Desktop Background
Change Screen Saver and Power Settings
Personalize Explorer
Classic View in Control Panel
Enable Previous Versions
Block or Prompt for Cookies
Turn Off or Modify the Run Time of Defrag
Indexing Logical Drives
Turning On or Off the User Account Control

Final Chores
Create a "Clean Install' Restore Point
Create and configure a Network connection
Create a Network Connection Desktop Shortcut
Hide Connect Window When Connecting to a Network
Turn Off the AutoDialer
Import MS Mail Messages
Import IE Favorites
Import Firefox Bookmarks
Check for Updates

Resolving Problems
Manually Installing Windows Update Files
Dual and Multiple Boot

Additional Resources

Personalizing Windows Vista

After installing or reinstalling Windows there are a number of changes that I like to make.

I immediately close the Welcome Center. You might find it a helpful way to get started. I don't. After the first reboot I uncheck the 'Run at startup' checkbox so I never have to see it again.

Then I change the clock in the gadgets sidebar to something that doesn't remind me of elementary school.

If you are like me, I have desktop settings that I like to set up immediately. It is difficult to work in an 800x640 desktop when you are used to a higher screen resolution. If you Right Click on the desktop and select 'Personalize' you can bring up a screen with Microsoft's idea of Windows personal settings. To change the screen resolution select 'Display Settings' at the bottom of the list. I then select 'Desktop Background' to change the look of the desktop.

I change the power settings under 'Screen Saver'->'Change power settings' -> 'Change plan settings' so that my monitor is turned off after 15 minutes of idle time and the computer is never put to sleep.

I also like to change the default settings of Explorer.

The first time I start the control panel I select 'Classic View' as my preference.

I used to have IE configured to ask before setting cookies. I am going to now block all cookies by default. The best time to set this is before connecting to the Internet. You can set this by starting Windows Media Player and clicking on the 'Privacy Settings' button. If you won't be using Windows Media Player you can alternatively configure it in IE.

Note: It is best to leave cookies enabled. Blocking cookies will break many Websites, especially online stores. If you do want to block cookies by default you can create exceptions for sites that you want to allow cookies. You will also find yourself wondering why a Website won't load at some time in the near future. Use cookie blocking with this in mind. Cookie blocking can be done successfully once you have the Websites you need to allow cookies for configured as exceptions and if you can remember that the reason a Website won't behave is because of your default cookie blocking rules.

Windows will by default automatically defrag your hard drives weekly. You may want to change the Windows default defrag settings.

I also put Sleep, Shutdown, Restart and Continue icons on my desktop. I was leery about doing this but after more than a year I have found them handy and I am disciplined enough to use them wisely. They aren't for everybody though and you must use them carefully.

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

My core apps

Anti-Virus - Alwil Software avast!
Firewall - Comodo Internet Security with Defense+
Malware - Vista Ultimate Windows Defender
Defragmenter - JkDefrag 32 bit - 64 bit
RAID Storage Manager - Intel Matrix Storage Manager
Motherboard Update Utility - Foxconn LiveUpdate
Display Manager - EVGA NVIDIA Control Panel
Sound Manager - Realtek HD Sound Manager
Mail - MS Mail
Word Processor - Word 97
Spreadsheet - Excel 97
Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system
Browsers - Firefox 3.0
News Reader - Xnews
FTP - Core FTP LE
Image editor - LView Pro 2006 x64
File Compression - WinZip
Burner - Deep Burner
Download Manager - Free Download Manager
PDF reader - Adobe Acrobat 9

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

My First Hand Experience Installing SP1 Manually

As mentioned earlier I am using a Hiro dial-up modem based on Intel's 537EP modem chipset. Intel has not released any Vista drivers for it. I am using the XP x64 driver and it works fine until the system shuts down. Then I will occasionally get the dreaded BSOD.

I had originally planned to install Windows, connect to the Internet, get the latest drivers and updates and then Install SP1. I therefore had my 537EP modem drivers loaded when starting the SP1 install. The install went smoothly until the system had to do a restart. The blue screen appeared and I thought that 'Well that's that', thinking that the SP1 install had failed. But the system restarted and the install continued on as if nothing had happened. The install did eventually complete successfully.

If you have Vista incompatible devices in your computer manually installing SP1 will be problematic at best. You can try installing SP1 in Safe Mode or you will have to use an alternative method.

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Partition Imaging with MaxBlast 5

Caution! Before using any software that writes to partitions you should have your personal files backed up. You should understand partition basics. Be careful that you don't format data partitions and double check that you are formatting the correct partition!

I wanted to see if I could image a partition so that it could be used to reinstall Windows at a later date. I personally can see little benefit to imaging the operating system if it can only save a few hours every year. But as I write in the Secure your computer after a Windows install or reinstall Tech Republic article, having a virus free image of Windows with the latest service pack and important updates installed not only saves the time and trouble of having to download and install them but also reduces the security risks inherent in their retrieval.

I have two Maxtor hard drives running RAID 0 striping and RAID 1 mirroring. I downloaded and installed the 'free for Maxtor owners' MaxBlast 5 and began exploring the options.

Upon starting MaxBlast 5 the first thing I discovered is that you can image an entire disk or a partition but you need the retail version if you want to image the system only or a specific folder.

I selected the partition that Vista x64 was installed on. I then selected my optical drive for the destination of the image file. A message said that I would need four DVDs and 3 hours to create the image.

I nixed that idea and selected a different non-system partition instead. The file was written very quickly in less than 10 minutes. I found that the expected file size and estimated time was higher than the actual file size and the actual time to create the image.

A bootable CD with the full version of MaxBlast 5 can be created by starting MaxBlast 5 in Windows and creating a 'rescue disc'. To do this, Left Click on the 'Create Bootable Media' option. I did this, put the rescue CD in the Writemaster optical drive and restarted my computer.

MaxBlast 5 started but the cursor couldn't be moved using the mouse in the first Window. I used the [UP_ARROW] key to select Maxtor MaxBlast (Full version). I then received an 'E000101F4 Maxtor MaxBlast has detected unsupported hard disc drives. MaxBlast does not support Windows Dynamic Discs, EZ-Drives, etc.' error. I presume I got this error because MaxBlast couldn't recognize my RAID volumes and there is no way to load the RAID drivers.

I'm disappointed that I can't restore my partition image from a rescue CD. In case you are wondering, the Home version of Acronis True Image won't recognize hardware or software RAID volumes either.

If you have a Maxtor or Seagate drive and don't have a RAID setup you might want to download MaxBlast 5 or DiscWizard and try it for yourself. If you do, read the manual first to understand the process and risks involved.

I realized that I might be able to restore the image from within Windows Vista because the RAID drivers would be loaded. I formatted a partition and, sure enough, I was able to restore the image but only from a non-boot partition. Total restore time 14 minutes and 30 seconds. I then had to run VistaBootPRO to add a new item to the boot list.

So, even if you have a RAID setup you can create and restore a partition image from within Windows. The instructions below were tested using MaxBlast 5 in Vista Ultimate x64 with SP1 to create a full partition image. I was not able to test running MaxBlast 5 from the rescue CD. If you are trying to create or restore a partition image using the rescue CD the procedure may be different than the one listed below.

A Note About System Imaging

Imaging your system can be problematic if you are imaging Windows with any apps installed. The following scenario is an example of how imaging your system partition with installed apps can lead to problems when restoring the image.

During a Windows reinstall I manually installed SP1. I had installed Comodo Firewall Pro version 3.0.25.378 x64 and created network rules to lock out all apps but the Windows Update app. I downloaded all of the important updates and imaged the system partition. I later wanted to restore the image. Since the original image creation, a new version of Comodo Firewall Pro was available, version 3.5.54375.427 and I had downloaded it and installed it. It was a major release and the name was changed to Comodo Internet Security (CIS). I restored the system image but when I tried to install the new 3.5 version of Comodo, a message box warned me that an existing version existed and needed to be uninstalled. A message asked if I wanted to uninstall the old version. I clicked the 'Yes' button but the uninstall failed because the program files contained on a separate data drive were not the ones that matched the registry settings.

I created another image after another Windows reinstall but this time I uninstalled CIS before creating the image. Bottom line - imaging your system with apps installed will be subject to image aging and can lead to version discrepancy issues.

How to Image a Partition Using MaxBlast 5

Download and install MaxBlast 5. The latest version works in both 32 and 64 bit Vista. Install using the 'Custom' option to select a non-system logical drive.

Important!

These instructions are for computer owners using RAID. If you are not running software or hardware RAID, create a rescue disc in Windows with the full version of MaxBlast 5. Insert the rescue CD into your optical drive and restart the computer to start MaxBlast 5 from the CD. Use this method instead of the instructions to open MaxBlast 5 in Windows.

Open MaxBlast 5 in Windows

In the 'Pick a Category' Window Left Click 'Image Backup and Image Restore'
Left Click 'Image Backup'
Left Click 'Next' in the 'Create Image Backup Wizard'
The 'My Computer' radio button should be selected. If not, select it and Left Click the 'Next' button
The 'Discs and partitions' radio button should be selected. If not, select it and Left Click the 'Next' button
Find the partition containing the Windows installation that you want to back up and Left Click on the check box to select it. Verify that you have selected only one partition and not the entire drive. The 'Create an image using the sector-by-sector approach' check box should not be checked. Read the 'Total size:' message near the bottom left of the Window. My new install of Vista x64 was on logical drive C:\ and MaxBlast 5 reported that it was 22.20 GB. When you are satisfied with your choice, Left Click the 'Next' button.
A Window should appear extolling the virtues of the retail version of Acronis True Image. Click the link if you are interested in learning more or Left Click the 'OK' button.
Left Click the '+' expand button next to 'Computer' and navigate to a non-system logical drive. You can select an optical drive but unless you are using dual layer DVDs or BluRay the image will span multiple DVDs. Do not choose the source or target partitions. I store mine in \Documents\Archive\System Images\ and I call the image name 'Vista x64 Golden Image'. Enter the file name when you have selected the appropriate logical drive and folder and Left Click the 'Next' button.
Left Click the 'Create a new full image backup' radio button if not already selected. . Left Click the 'Next' button.
The 'Use default options' radio button should be selected. I suggest you tweak the settings. To do this, Left Click the 'Set the options manually' radio button and Left Click the 'Next' button.
The 'Compression Level' option should be selected. If not, select it and choose the compression level that you prefer. The 'High' option is a good tradeoff between speed and disk space. To write the smallest file size possible select 'Maximum'.
Left Click 'Image Backup Priority' and change the setting if preferred. Select 'High' if you want the fastest possible execution but your computer will be essentially unusable until the image is written.
Left Click 'Archive Splitting' if you want to manually specify how to split the file or leave the default value set to 'Automatic'
Left Click 'Additional settings' if you want to validate the image. It is a good idea to select this if you are writing the image to an optical disc otherwise leave it at its default value of no validation.
When you are satisfied with all of the settings, Left Click the 'Next' button.
The 'Archive Comments' Window allows you to add comments like 'Vista x64 Image w/ SP1, important security updates, avast! 4.8 and Comodo Internet Security 3.0.25.378 - Oct 21, 2008'. Enter something that will identify exactly what you are imaging and Left Click the 'Next' button.
You will next see a summary of your selected options. Carefully review the operations to be performed to verify their accuracy and Left Click the 'Proceed' button or the 'Back' button to make changes.

Total time with compression set to 'High' and priority set to 'High' - a very fast ten minutes. The image was read from a RAID striped volume and written to a mirrored RAID volume. Your performance will vary.

Now it's time to go through the restore image process. Since I am using RAID I have to restore the image in Windows and it has to be done from a non-boot partition. I have a newly formatted 48.7 GB partition that I will be restoring the image on. These steps were tested using MaxBlast 5 in Vista Ultimate x64 with SP1 to restore a full partition image. Please note that if you are restoring a partition image by running MaxBlast 5 from the rescue CD the procedure may be different than detailed below.

How to Restore a Partition Image Using MaxBlast 5

Open MaxBlast 5 in Windows

In the 'Pick a Category' Window Left Click 'Image Backup and Image Restore'
Left Click 'Image Restore'
Left Click the 'Next' button in the 'Image Restore Data Wizard' Window
Left Click the '+' expand button next to 'Computer' and navigate to the logical drive and folder where you saved the Golden Image. I stored the image as '\Documents\Archive\System Images\Vista x64 Golden Image'. Left Click on the 'Vista x64 Golden Image' file name or whatever name you chose and Left Click the 'Next' button.
Left Click the 'Image Restore discs or partitions' radio button if not already selected. Left Click the 'Next' button.
Left Click on the source partition name check box for the partition that you previously imaged. Left Click on the 'Help' question mark if you are unsure what to do with the 'MBR and Track 0' item. Left Click the 'Next' button.
Left Click on the destination partition name. The partition should be large enough to store the entire source image. MaxBlast 5 will conveniently disable any partitions that do not have sufficient disk space. Double check that you have chosen the right destination partition. The 'Capacity' and 'Free Space' numbers should be almost the same. When you are sure, Left Click the 'Next' button.
You can choose between 'Active', 'Primary' and 'Logical' restored partition types. I already have a primary boot partition so I selected 'Logical'. Left Click on the 'Help' question mark for more information about the options on this screen. MaxBlast 5 is smart enough select by default the original partition type. In most cases this will be the option you should select. If you want to change the default value, Left Click the radio button to select the option that is appropriate for you and Left Click the 'Next' button.
The next screen allows you to modify the target partition size. Change the partition size or Left Click the 'Next' button to continue.
The 'Yes, I want to assign a logical drive letter to the restore partition.' radio button should be selected. You can change the drive letter in this Window or assign no drive letter. Once again MaxBlast 5 is intelligent to offer only unassigned drive letters in the drop-down text box. Unless you want to change the drive letter or change it to unassigned, Left Click the 'Next' button.
You can choose another partition to restore in the next screen. We are restoring one partition. The default value should be 'No, I do not.' If not, Left Click on the 'No, I do not.' radio button and Left Click the 'Next' button.
Similar to the options when you created the image, you can manually set the restore options. Left Click on the 'Set the options manually' radio button and Left Click the 'Next' button.
Left Click the 'Image Restoration priority' item if not already selected and change the setting to your preferred option. Select 'High' if you want the fastest possible execution but your computer will be essentially unusable until the image is restored.
Left Click the 'Additional settings' item if you want to validate the image before the restore. You can also check the file system after the restoration. Unless you are restoring from a DVD or BluRay disc you should not need to change the default settings for the 'Additional settings' option. When you have selected the options you want, Left Click the 'Next' button.
Your restore options are shown in summary form on the next screen. You may notice a blue message '(Reboot required)' in the list. If you see this message and your computer has hardware or software RAID the restore will fail. Carefully review the operations to be performed to verify their accuracy and Left Click the 'Proceed' button or the 'Back' button to make changes.

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Editorial Privilege

This is the section where I am allowed to stray from the facts, give my opinions and feelings and make speculations and inferences.

I have installed and reinstalled every version of Windows from 3.0 to Server 2008 except 98, 2000 and ME. I have installed Windows more times than I care to admit. Most of those were NT reinstalls when I was just a pup in the IT world and found it easier to reinstall the OS than trying to figure out why my WinModem couldn't be configured properly.

I no longer do that but I do beta test Windows and, as in this case, write about installing and reinstalling Windows. And that requires a lot of patience, time and Windows reinstalls. For the Tech Republic article I reinstalled Windows nine times.

Microsoft Trustworthy Computing

In 2002, Bill Gates put Microsoft firmly on the road to tighter security of their Windows product and the company in general with the Trustworthy Computing initiative. To be fair, it focused on new software development, but it became more or less a company-wide goal to improve Windows security.

While writing the article for Tech Republic I ran into a formidable roadblock while attempting to write about a secure way to reinstall and update Windows. After reinstalling, Windows is missing all of the security updates issued by Microsoft since the RTM date of Vista.

Microsoft strongly recommends that you connect to the Internet after an install or reinstall and launch Windows Update to get those missing security updates. I had concerns about connecting to the Internet without having the security updates contained in SP1 installed. I was given a number to call, 1-866-PCSAFETY (1-866-727-2338). I asked if there was a cumulative security update file that could be downloaded and installed prior to SP1 installation. The Microsoft technician told me that I could install three software updates mentioned in the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles instead of any security updates. There is in fact a fourth KB article that is a prerequisite to KB937287 making a total of four Knowledge base articles.

At the time, I was satisfied that I had gotten a reasonable answer to my security questions. Upon closer look at the four KB articles and the four files I discovered that none of the four articles mention security updates. One is a patch to Bitlocker and the other three update the Windows Update installer.

I called back to get a clarification. KB articles KB949939, KB937287 and KB938371 reference three files that can be downloaded optionally and installed manually. If you do not install these updates, Windows Update will get them for you automatically.

The second very helpful and knowledgeable Microsoft Tech also mentioned that I could download and install SP1 manually before connecting to the internet.

I asked again if there was a cumulative security update file that I could download and install prior to exposing my computer to the network. While he was very helpful the answer I received was a little bit troubling. He admitted that there was no such file but there were other built-in security features like Defender and Windows Firewall that would protect me. To ease my concerns he mentioned that he had heard of no major security problems once SP1 is installed.

Installed Vista x64 Important Security Updates

The important security updates that were installed to my 64 bit version of Vista

This answer does not seem to fall in line with the Trustworthy Computing initiative of 2002. So what has happened between then and now? For one thing, Bill Gates who created the Trustworthy Computing initiative of 2002 is gone. If Microsoft does not continue to put security at or near the top of their list of priorities they run the risk of undoing their hard-earned image of a much more secure operating system. Vista was supposed to be that OS.

You can decide for yourself, but to me connecting to the Internet for the first time after a reinstall without the latest security updates installed is not Trustworthy Computing in action. After all, if the security updates are important enough to be made available to the public they are important enough to be concerned about not having them firmly in place.

Microsoft will you please provide a downloadable, self-installing, cumulative security update file for all supported versions of Windows?

Microsoft could alternatively lock down the security in Windows Update. It wouldn't be too hard to configure Windows Update to block all Internet traffic while checking for and downloading and installing important or critical security updates.

Perhaps Microsoft does not fully understand my concerns. Perhaps you just think that my paranoia level is set too high. I have just reinstalled Vista to be sure that I am rid of any Trojans, worms and viruses. I most certainly don't want to acquire any new ones right from the get-go.

How Important is Security to You

very

No matter how careful you are setting up the security on your computer with a robust firewall, a good anti-virus program and other malware you can unknowingly invite a snooper, or worse, a thief in by downloading and installing software. You might think that software downloaded from a popular Website that lets you demo a game or share music is safe. Not necessarily. I will be more careful in the future about installing music downloaders or other download-type managers and you should too.

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Appendix A - Windows Vista Reinstallation Scripts

Pre-Installation

Take a Snapshot Image of Your Desktop

A quick way to create a list of the core apps that you want to reload after a clean Windows install is to use the Print Screen utility and the Windows clipboard to copy and paste an image of your desktop into Paint. To do this:

Close all Windows on your desktop
Press [Shift][PrtScrn] simultaneously
Open Paint
Press [Ctrl][v] simultaneously
Left Click 'File' then 'Save'
Select 'Save as type:' 'JPEG'
Enter a file name and navigate to a non-system logical drive/partition
Left Click 'Save'

Get the dial-up ISP number

If you don't have your dial-up ISP number it is important that you get it before a reinstall.

From the Control Panel:

Right Click 'Network and sharing center' and Let Click 'Open'
Left Click 'Manage network connections' under 'Tasks'
Right Click the dial-up ISP network connection and Left Click 'Properties'
The phone number is shown on the 'General' tab. Be sure not to change it!
Left Click the 'Cancel' button

Previous versions of Windows offered Outlook Express, Vista's email program has been renamed to MS Mail or simply Mail for short.

Unlike Outlook and Outlook Express MS Mail stores each individual message in a file. You can identify these files because they end with a .eml extension.

This offers some interesting opportunities. You can search the files by entering the search term in the Explorer Search box. You can also use Explorer to navigate to the folder and drag and drop the file to a folder on a different physical hard drive, CD ROM, DVD, Flash drive, etc. You can do this instead of an export, but remember to back up the Inbox, Outbox, Drafts and Sent folders and not just the Inbox folder.

The full path name to the Inbox folder is:
c:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Local Folders\Inbox

Unless the user name you use when logging in to Vista is 'UserName' you should replace 'UserName' with your user login name. For example, my user name is Pecos and the full path to my MS Mail Inbox is c:\Users\Pecos\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Local Folders\Inbox.

Because the email message files are stored on a system disk they can be lost by the following 'more common than you care to admit' occurrences:

A Windows reinstall
Hard drive failure of drive with the logical system drive/partition - usually C:\
For striped RAID only - Hard drive failure of drive with the striped volume and logical system drive

The point is always export before a reinstall if you don't want to lose any email messages. But don't stop there. Seriously consider backing up your emails on a regular basis after the reinstall.

Export MS Mail Messages

Open MS Mail
Left Click 'File' -> 'Export' -> 'Messages...'
Left Click 'Microsoft Windows Mail' under 'Select the format you want to export e-mail to.'
Left Click the 'Next' button
Left Click the 'Browse' button
Left Click 'Computer' under 'Favorite Links' in the left pane and navigate to the folder where you want to save the messages. It is best to put them in a folder on a different physical drive. I have a folder called \Archive\Mail Exports\ where I export the messages.
Enter 'Vista 10-15-2008' or a similar unique identifiable name into the 'Folder:' text box. It must be unique. You are required to export the messages to an empty folder.
Left Click the 'Select Folder' radio button.
You should see the full path in a text box under 'Location of Messages'
Left Click 'Next' if the file path and name are OK
Left Click the 'Selected Folders:' radio button'. If for some strange reason you want to export the 'Junk E-mail' and 'Deleted Items' folders, leave the 'All' radio button selected and skip the next two steps.
Press and hold down the [CTRL] key
Continue to hold down the [CTRL] key and Left Click the 'Drafts' folder, Left Click the 'Inbox' folder, Left Click the 'Outbox' folder and Left Click the 'Sent Items' folder
All four folders should be highlighted. Left Click 'Next'.
Left Click 'Finish'

Export IE Favorites

Left Click the [Alt] key
Left Click 'File'
Left Click 'Import and Export'
Left Click 'Next' in the Import/Export Wizard
Left Click 'Export Favorites' from the list
Left Click 'Next' in the Import/Export Wizard
Left Click the 'Favorites' folder if not already highlighted
Left Click 'Next'
Left Click 'Browse'
Left Click 'Browse Folders' then 'More' and 'Computer' and navigate to the folder where you want to save the bookmarks (\Archive would be a good place)
Change the file name to something that makes sense like 'IE Favorites 10-12-2008.htm'
Left Click 'Save'
Left Click 'Next'
Left Click 'Finish'

Export Firefox Bookmarks (3.0)

Left Click 'Bookmarks'
Left Click 'Organize Bookmarks'
Left Click 'Import and Backup' from the top menu
Left Click 'Export HTML'
Left Click 'Browse Folders' and navigate to the folder where you want to save the bookmarks (\Archive would be a good place)
Change the file name to something that makes sense like 'Firefox Bookmarks 3-17-2008.html'
Left Click 'Save'

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Windows installation and reinstallation

How to Access the 'Installing Windows' Help File

Start Windows
Insert the Vista DVD into your optical drive
From Explorer navigate to the CD/DVD drive in the left pane
Left Click on the CD/DVD drive
Right Click on setup.exe
Left Click 'Run as administrator'
Left Click 'Allow'
Left Click 'What to know before installing Windows'

Move the scroll bar to the bottom
Press and hold the [Shift] key
Left Click on the last character in the 'Help and Support' Window
Release the [Shift] key
Copy the text - press the [Ctrl] and [C] key simultaneously
Paste the text into Word or Notepad - press the [Ctrl] and [V] key simultaneously from inside a new Word or text document

Install Windows in Windows

Start Windows
Insert the Vista DVD into your optical drive
Connect to the Internet
From Explorer navigate to the CD/DVD drive in the left pane
Left Click on the CD/DVD drive
Right Click on setup.exe
Left Click 'Run as administrator'
Left Click 'Allow'

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Personalizations

The following Windows personalizations assume that you know how to start the Control Panel. If you don't:

Left Click 'Start' (the circle containing the Windows logo in the extreme lower left)
Left Click 'Control Panel' in the right pane

Change Clock Gadget

The default clock is ugly. I list the instructions below how you can change it. You can also Left Click on the '+' at the top of the Side Bar to see a list of available Gadgets. There is a Gadgets icon in the Notifications area of the taskbar. Right Click on the icon for a menu of options including the 'Exit' option if you find Gadgets and the Side Bar a waste of real estate.

Move cursor to hover over clock
Left Click the small wrench icon on the right
Left Click the Right or Left arrow to change clock type
Stop when you find a clock that you prefer
Enter a clock name (Optional)
Left Click 'Show the second hand' (Optional)
Left Click 'OK'

Change Display Resolution

Right Click on an empty part of the desktop
Left Click 'Personalize'
Left Click 'Display Settings'
Left Click on the 'Resolution:' bar to the right for higher resolution and to the left for lower resolution
Left Click 'Apply'
Left Click 'Yes' to keep settings or 'No' to change settings
Left Click 'OK' when you have found the resolution you like best

Change Desktop Background

Right Click on an empty part of the desktop
Left Click 'Personalize'
Left Click 'Desktop Background'
Left Click 'Location' dropdown box arrow
Left Click one item from the dropdown box
Left Click one item from the selection box
Left Click 'OK'

Change Screen Saver and Power Settings

Right Click on an empty part of the desktop
Left Click 'Personalize'
Left Click 'Screen Saver'
Left Click down arrow on 'Screen Saver' drop down box
Left Click screen saver of your choice
Left Click 'Wait' up or down arrow to change the number of minutes before screen saver appears
Left Click 'Apply'
Left Click 'Change power settings...'
Left Click the 'Preferred plans' radio button of your choice
Left Click 'Change plan settings'
Left Click down arrow for 'Turn off display'
Left Click your choice for the number of minutes before turning off monitor
Left Click down arrow for 'Put the computer to sleep'
Left Click your choice for the number of minutes/hours before putting the computer to sleep
Left Click 'Save changes' button

Personalize Explorer

I like to uncheck the 'Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)' item when configuring Explorer. I don't want to go looking for a file and cannot find it because it turns out to be a system file that is hidden in Explorer. If you do uncheck this box you should be experienced enough to understand the consequences. If you do not, it is probably best to leave this box checked. If you do leave it checked just remember the next time you go looking for a file and you can't find it - it may be a hidden system file.

Left Click 'Start'->'All Programs'->'Accessories'->'Windows Explorer'
Left Click the 'Views' down arrow
Left Click 'Details' or the option of your choice
Left Click the [Alt] key
Left Click 'Tools'
Left Click 'Folder Options'
Left Click 'View' tab
Check or Uncheck settings of your choice:
Left Click 'Apply'
Left Click 'Apply to Folders' then Left Click 'Yes'
Left Click 'OK'

Classic View in Control Panel

OK, this is a silly pet-peeve but I find the new view of the Control Panel really annoying.

Left Click 'Start' (the circle containing the Windows logo in the extreme lower left)
Left Click 'Control Panel' in the right pane
Left Click 'Classic View'

Create a "Clean Install" Restore Point

Right Click 'System' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click 'System Protection'
Left Click 'Continue' if prompted by the UAC
Left Click the 'Create' button
Enter 'Clean Install' or any other name of your choice in the text box
Left Click the 'Create' button
Left Click the 'OK' button when the System Protection Window opens saying 'The restore point was created successfully.'
Left Click the 'OK' button to close the System Properties Window

Enable Previous Versions

Right Click 'System' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click the 'System Protection' under 'Tasks'
Left Click 'Continue' if prompted by the UAC
Left Click each logical drive checkbox where you want to use Previous Versions
Left Click 'Apply'
Left Click 'OK'

Block or Prompt for Cookies

You may not want to advertise every Website you have visited when surfing the Internet. You can ask to be prompted each time you visit a Website that attempts to set a cookie on your computer. You only have to do this the first time you visit a new Website but it is too annoying for most people. You can also block all cookies. The default is to allow cookies. The instructions below are specific to Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player and only need to be followed it you want to prompt for or block cookies.

You can change this by starting Windows Media Player for the first time and clicking on the 'Privacy Settings' button. If you won't be using Windows Media Player you can alternatively configure it for Internet Explorer as follows:

Left Click 'Tools'
Left Click 'Internet Options'
Left Click the 'Privacy' tab
Left Click 'Advanced'
Left Click 'Override Automatic Cookie Handling' check box
Left Click 'First-party Cookie' and 'third party Cookie' �Block' or 'Prompt' radio buttons
Left Click 'OK' twice

Note: If you aren't overly concerned about having your browsing history tracked it is best to leave cookies enabled. Blocking cookies will break many Websites, especially online stores. If you do want to block cookies by default you can create exceptions for sites that you want to allow cookies. You will also find yourself wondering why a Website won't load properly at some time in the near future - and you will not realize it is because you have blocked all cookies. Use cookie blocking with this in mind.

Turn off or modify the run time of defrag

something

I have found a very nice freeware defrag utility that I like. It is called MyDefrag and I have written a review at TechRepublic for it.

If you will be using Vista's built in defragmenter, you can modify its settings as follows:

Left Click 'Start'
Type 'Defrag' in the 'Start Search' box
Left Click 'Disk Defragmenter' under 'Programs'
Left Click 'Continue' if prompted by the UAC
Left Click the 'Modify schedule...' button
Left click 'How often:' down arrow to change the frequency
Left click 'What day:' down arrow to change the day of the week to run defrag
Left click 'What time:' down arrow to change the time of day to run defrag
Left Click the 'OK' button

If you want to turn off the Vista defragmenter Left Click 'Run on a schedule (recommended)' check box and Left Click 'OK'.

The options for the frequency are monthly, weekly and daily. Not exactly a lot of choices there. You can also run the defragmenter manually from the 'Disk Defragmenter' Window.

Indexing Logical Drives

Indexing your logical drives and/or folders is not cost free. It consumes disk space. A good rule of thumb is index your drives only if you use the Explorer search feature more than a few times a month or if you 'just can't wait' when you do search your files.

From the Control Panel:

Right Click 'Indexing Options' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click the 'Modify' button
Left Click the 'Show all locations' button
Left Click 'Continue' if prompted by the UAC
Check or uncheck the logical drives that you want to have indexed
Optional - Left Click the expand arrow to check or uncheck the folders that you want to have indexed
Left Click the 'OK' button
Left Click the 'Close' button

Turning On or Off the User Account Control

When installing or uninstalling Windows you will be loading a lot of applications. Each time you install an app from Setup you will be asked by the User Account Control if you want to continue. You may be tempted to turn off this annoying built-in security feature, but I suggest you leave it turned on for six months and see if you still feel the same way. Once your applications are installed, you may not see the UAC for months and it does provide an important security function.

From the Control Panel:

Right Click 'User Accounts' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click 'Turn User Account Control on or off'
Left Click 'Continue' if prompted by the UAC
Check 'Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer' to turn on UAC or Uncheck to turn off UAC

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Final Chores

Create and Configure a Network Connection

Right Click 'Network and Sharing Center' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click 'Set up a connection or network' under 'Tasks'
Connect to the Internet should be highlighted. If not select it.
Left Click the 'Next' button
Left Click on the connection method from the list
Enter connection information
Left Click the 'Allow other people to use this connection' check box if appropriate
Left Click 'Continue' if prompted by the UAC
Left Click the 'Connect' button
Left Click 'Continue' if prompted by the UAC

Create a Network Connection Desktop Shortcut

From the Control Panel:

Right Click 'Network and Sharing Center' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click 'Manage Network Connections' under 'Tasks'
Right Click and hold down mouse button on the network connection you want to create a desktop shortcut
Move the cursor to an empty section of the desktop where you want to create the shortcut
Release mouse right button
Left Click 'Create Shortcuts Here'

To Rename a Shortcut

Right Click on icon
Left Click 'Rename'

Hide Connect Window When Connecting to a Network

From the Control Panel:

Right Click 'Network and Sharing Center' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click 'Manage Network Connections' under 'Tasks'
Right Click on the network connection you want change
Left Click 'Properties'
Left Click the 'Options' tab
Uncheck 'Prompt for name and password, certificate, etc.'
Uncheck 'Prompt for phone number' (dial-up)
Left Click 'OK'

Turn Off the AutoDialer

From the Control Panel:

Right Click 'Network and Sharing Center' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click 'Internet Options' under 'See Also' in the lower left section of the window
Left Click the 'Connections' tab
Left Click 'Never dial a connection' in the middle of the window
Left Click 'Apply'
Left Click 'Continue' if UAC is enabled
Left Click 'OK'

In Vista via Internet Explorer 7 (alternate method)

Launch IE 7
Left Click 'Tools'
Left Click 'Internet Options'
Left Click the 'Connections' tab
Left Click 'Never dial a connection' in the middle of the window
Left Click 'Apply'
Left Click 'OK'

Import MS Mail Messages

Open MS Mail
Left Click 'File' -> 'Import' -> 'Messages'
Left Click 'Microsoft Windows Mail 7' under 'Select the format you want to import e-mail from.'
Left Click 'Next'
Left Click the 'Browse' button
Left Click 'Computer' under 'Favorite Links' in the left pane and navigate to the folder where you saved the messages.
Left Click the 'Vista 10-15-2008' folder or whatever folder name where you saved the messages
Left Click the 'Select Folder' button
You should see the full path in a text box under 'Location of Messages'
Left Click 'Next' if the file Path and name are OK
The 'All folders' radio button should be selected. Left Click 'Next' if you want to import all folders or Left Click the 'Selected folders:' radio button and Left Click the folder you want to import.
Left Click 'Next'
Left Click 'Finish'

You will find that MS Mail has kindly put your imported messages into a separate folder named 'Imported Folder'.

Import IE Favorites

Left Click the [Alt] key
Left Click 'File'
Left Click 'Import and Export'
Left Click 'Next' in the Import/Export Wizard
Left Click 'Import Favorites' from the list
Left Click 'Next'
Left Click 'Browse'
Left Click 'Browse Folders' and navigate to the folder where you have saved the 'IE Favorites 10-12-2008.htm' file or similar file name
Left Click on the file name
Left Click 'Open'
Left Click 'Next'
Left Click 'Favorites'
Left Click 'Next'
Left Click 'Finish'
You should see 'Successfully imported favorites'

IE will kindly reorder all of your carefully ordered Favorites alphabetically. It least my Favorites were reordered and it took a while to put them back the way I prefer them.

Import Firefox Bookmarks (3.0)

Left Click 'Bookmarks'
Left Click 'Organize Bookmarks'
Left Click 'Import and Backup' from the top menu
Left Click 'Import HTML'
Left Click the 'From an HTML File' radio button if not already selected
Left Click 'Next'
Navigate to the folder where you have saved the 'Firefox Bookmarks 3-17-2008.html' file or similar file name
Left Click on the file name
Left Click 'Open'

Check for Updates

From the Control Panel:

Right Click 'Windows Update' and Left Click 'Open'
Left Click 'Check for updates'
Left Click 'View available updates'
Uncheck any updates you do not want (unless you have a good reason not to, leave them checked) and check any optional updates you do want
Left Click 'Install'
Read the EULA then Left Click 'I accept the license terms' or 'I decline' radio button and Left Click Finish if prompted
Left Click 'Continue' if UAC is enabled

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Resolving Problems

Manually Installing Windows Update KB Files

You can update the Windows Update installer manually if you are having problems.

Read then download and Install the files mentioned in the KB articles:
KB949939
KB937287
KB938371
KB935509

KB949939 is prerequisite to KB937287. KB935509 is needed for Ultimate and Enterprise only.

Downloads for KB938371:
32 bit x86
64 bit x64

Downloads for KB935509:
32 bit x86
64 bit x64

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Dual and Multiple Boot Issues

this how-to

After reinstalling Vista on a different partition you are required per EULA to remove the original installation. You can't have two copies of Vista installed on your computer. Until I can move the boot files, formatting D:\ is definitely out. I will manually delete the Vista files but leave the Boot folder alone.

I could also format both C:\ and D:\ and do a clean install from DVD to C:\. This works but only because I won't be dual booting,

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

Additional Resources

More information about Windows Firewall
Comodo Firewall: An intelligent way to protect against application attacks
Softpedia Comodo's Security Reaching New Levels - Defense+ to the rescue against malicious events
Download3K.com Comodo Internet Security, A Consumer Favorite, Powers Ahead Most Other Firewall Solutions In Downloads
Comodo Internet Security forum How To - Understanding & Creating Network Control Rules properly
Comodo Internet Security forum Understanding how Comodo Firewall Rules work

Waiter! I want to look at my buffet choices again.

We do not offer doggy bags, but you may buy more food by the pound and we encourage you to share our food with your friends. If you do so, please tell them where you got it.

Tweet
© Copyright 2007-2015 Alan Norton None of the content may be used or reproduced without written authorization from Alan Norton.

How to Personalize Windows Vista Following a Full System Reinstall

Welcome to the Pecos Buffet! Grab a plate and help yourself.

Overview

The Need to Reinstall Vista

Personalizing Windows Vista

Other Windows Reinstallation Topics

My core apps

My First Hand Experience Installing SP1 Manually

Partition Imaging with MaxBlast 5

A Note About System Imaging

How to Image a Partition Using MaxBlast 5

How to Restore a Partition Image Using MaxBlast 5

Editorial Privilege

Microsoft Trustworthy Computing

How Important is Security to You

Appendix A - Windows Vista Reinstallation Scripts

Pre-Installation

Take a Snapshot Image of Your Desktop

Get the dial-up ISP number

Export MS Mail Messages

Export IE Favorites

Export Firefox Bookmarks (3.0)

Windows installation and reinstallation

How to Access the 'Installing Windows' Help File

Install Windows in Windows

Personalizations

Change Clock Gadget

Change Display Resolution

Change Desktop Background

Change Screen Saver and Power Settings

Personalize Explorer

Classic View in Control Panel

Create a "Clean Install" Restore Point

Enable Previous Versions

Block or Prompt for Cookies

Turn off or modify the run time of defrag

Indexing Logical Drives

Turning On or Off the User Account Control

Final Chores

Create and Configure a Network Connection

Create a Network Connection Desktop Shortcut

Hide Connect Window When Connecting to a Network

Turn Off the AutoDialer

Import MS Mail Messages

Import IE Favorites

Import Firefox Bookmarks (3.0)

Check for Updates

Resolving Problems

Manually Installing Windows Update KB Files

Dual and Multiple Boot Issues

Additional Resources