Outlook Advanced Search Error

Issue

When you try to run Advanced Search in Microsoft Outlook following error appears

“Outlook cannot perform your search. Outlook cannot display this view”

 

Simple Search works fine but the issue only occurs when searching a shared or just one mailbox. All users that access this mailbox have same symptom.

Resolution

Since all users are getting the same issue, its not just outlook. There is some wrong with the mailbox itself. In most cases it is a custom Search Folder that is creating this issue.

there are two ways to resolve this issue.

1. Delete the Search Folder that is not working properly (Right Click –> Delete Folder)

2.

a. Create a new mapi profile for just that one mailbox and make sure that Outlook prompts you to choose a profile when opened

b. Go to Start –> Run or press Win+R keys and type outlook /cleanfinders press Enter

c. Choose the profile for the mailbox that has issue

 

Any of the above actions will clear the broken search folder, fixing the search issue.

Skype is now part of Microsoft

Together we will bring innovative technology to friends, families and colleagues everywhere. And now the future possibilities for our customers are even more exciting. We will enable more people to connect in more ways that transform and enhance their lives. And this is just the beginning.

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/?WT.mc_id=MSCOM_EN_US_DLC_DETAILS_122LSUS011889

Microsoft Skype acquisition finalized

“I am delighted to announce the deal with Microsoft has formally closed, and Skype is now a division of Microsoft. This represents a huge leap forward in Skype's mission to be the communications choice for a billion people every day…”

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2011/oct11/10-13SkypePR.mspx

http://blogs.skype.com/en/2011/10/acquisitionclose.html

Send a WebPage to Kindle

I have been using a kindle for a few weeks now and I find it extremely useful.

Reading on computer screen is not comfortable specially I spend more than 20 minutes reading on an LCD my eyes start to hurt so Kindle is great for that. Anyways, since Amazon is not really paying me to advertise their Kindle I will get to the point.

There are many time when I am doing some research and I come across some great articles that I want to read online. I have two ways to read it on my Kindle

1. Go to the URL on experimental browser on kindle (not a great reading experience still)

2. Use a plugin with your browser (Chrome, Firefox) or an Android app to send the page converted to Kindle readable format (This is great!)

There is a tool called Kindle it, It allows me to send an webpage I am reading to my …@free.kindle.com email which converts it and sends it to my kindle.

To get the add-on visit
http://fivefilters.org/kindle-it/

Bulk Convert Office 97/2003 Files to Office 2007 or Office 2010

 

Many organizations are now using Office 2007 or Office 2010 most documents are still in legacy format. Although there is no harm with using doc files created in previous versions. But there are limitations with formatting options and manipulation of the overall document.

Microsoft provides with a tool that can help converting many doc file and a fileshare or a multiple directories to the new docx format.

here you can download tools for the relevant version of Office

Office 2007

Office 2010

with OMPM (Office Migration Planning Manager) one can batch convert old doc file to docx format.

Instructions to Migrate Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files to the 2007 Office system can be found here

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179019%28office.12%29.aspx 

Instructions to Convert binary Office files by using the Office File Converter (OFC) and Version Extraction Tool (VET) can be found here

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179019.aspx

Is 10/GUI the Future Replacement of the Mouse and Keyboard?

Here, watch the demo, and it'll be much clearer than my explanation:

http://vimeo.com/7408389

Windows 8 Developer’s Preview - Remove Metro UI

 

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/tweak-windows-8-to-remove-the-metro-interface/5077?tag=nl.e064

“…First, start regedit. In Windows 8, if you are in the Metro Interface, you can just type r e g e d i t and that application will appear in the search, like you see in Figure A.

Figure A

Just start typing in Windows 8 and the OS will assume you want to search for an application

Inside the registry editor, navigate to this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

Double-click the key labeled: RPEnabled as shown in Figure B.

Figure B

Double-click RPEnabled

When the Edit DWORD comes up (Figure C), change the Value data from 1 to zero and click OK.

Figure C

Change the Value data from 1 to zero

That’s it. Now, when you click the Start Menu on the Windows 8 Desktop you will get the old Start Menu you know rather than the tiled screen Microsoft is hoping you will want to know..”

Video: Introducing Windows Server 8

 

Download the Developer Preview
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/v8.aspx

Video Introducing Server 8
http://www.grouppolicy.biz/2011/09/video-introducing-windows-server-8/

Windows Server 8 - Built for Virtualization
http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/09/windows-server-8-built-for-the-cloud-built-for-virtualization.ars

Performance improvements and optimizations
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/BUILD/BUILD2011/SAC-417T

BUILD Sessions for Windows Server 8
http://www.grouppolicy.biz/2011/09/build-sessions-list-for-windows-server-8-hyper-v/

Windows 8 Action Center

Unlike Windows 7 Action Center Windows 8 Action Center can actually perform remediation tasks for the notifications.

These small but significant changes can make Windows 8 one of the best OS.

More on Windows 8

• Rotation Support
  http://www.winrumors.com/hands-on-windows-8-rotation-support-video/ 
• Requires less system resources (Will run on old Hardware)
  http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/windows-8-will-run-on-old-atom-cpus-and-1gb-ram/14741
• Built-in antivirus protection
  http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/windows-8-will-ship-with-built-in-antivirus-protection/14757
• Ability to Reset and Sync profile settings
  http://www.winbeta.org/?q=news%2Fwindows-8-reset-pc-and-sync-settings
• Alternative authentication
  One can use a picture as password
• Features not shown yet
  http://www.istartedsomething.com/20110914/short-some-of-what-microsoft-didnt-show-of-windows-8/
• New Terminologies
  http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/windows8/windows-8-features-terminology-140559

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Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

 

Anywhere in Windows 8

WIN + Q
Find and Application

WIN + W 
Search Settings or Control Panel

WIN + I 
Open Preferences of currently running application and windows

WIN + O
Disable screen rotation (turn off the gyro reaction to the tablets)

WIN + C 
Opens MetroUI Start Menu with taskbar items like time and network connectivity

Windows Explorer Hotkeys; (Press ALT Key + the below combination)

A – to open the “special features”

C O – to copy the selected items.

C P – copy the path to the file / folder.

C F – copy the folder (use the drop-down list)

D – delete the selected.

E – edit the selected files.

H – to show the history of file versions.

M – move the files (using the drop-down list).

N – Create a new folder.

P S – insert label

P R – open properties.

P E – Open With …, select the application again using a drop-down list.

S A – select all.

S N – deselect.

S I – invert the selection.

R – rename a selected file (s).

T – cut

V – to paste.

W – to create a new document, choose the template – using the drop-down list.

How to Create Bootable USB for Windows 8 Developer Preview

“..Like many folks, after watching the BUILD keynote this morning, I couldn't wait to get home and install Windows 8 Developer Preview on my laptop. The instructions for installing Windows 8 are simple enough. The only fly in the ointment is that installing Windows 8 requires a DVD to create an install package…”

So Mount the ISO first lest say it is mounted on I: drive

Here are the steps to format a USB flash drive.

1. Insert a USB flash drive into your computer
2. Start a Command Prompt as an Administrator and type diskpart. This starts the Disk Partition tool which you need to use to format the flash drive. Once you see the DISKPART command prompt, type in the following commands
3. DISKPART> list disk /* shows list of active disks */
4. DISKPART> select disk # /* # is the number for your USB flash drive */
5. DISKPART> clean /* deletes any existing partitions on the USB flash drive */
6. DISKPART> create partition primary /* create a primary partition on the USB flash drive */
7. DISKPART> select partition 1 /* select the newly created partition */
8. DISKPART> active /* make the new partition active */
9. DISKPART> format /FS:NTFS /* format the USB drive with NTFS file system */
10. DISKPART> assign /* assign a volume and drive letter to the USB drive */
11. DISKPART> exit /* exit Disk Partition */

At this point, your USB flash drive should be showing up in Windows Explorer and have a drive letter assigned to it, e.g. F:\.

Make the USB flash drive bootable

We just need to make the USB flash drive bootable before copying the files. To do this, you can use the Boot Sector Registration Tool (bootsect.exe) which is located in the boot folder of the Windows 8 ISO image.

1. Start a Command Prompt as an Administrator and CHDIR into the boot folder of the Windows 8 ISO image, e.g. I:\boot where I:\ is the drive where the ISO image is mounted
2. Type bootsect /nt60 E: /* where E: is the drive assigned to the USB flash drive */

Step 3: Copy the Windows 8 files onto the USB flash drive

From a command line, use XCOPY to copy the Windows 8 files to the USB flash drive . In the example below, I:\ is the drive where the ISO image is mounted. F:\ is the USB flash drive.

XCOPY I:\*.* F:\ /E /F /H

Source

Windows 8–Useful Links

Windows 8 is the hot news on every technical news portal and blog, here is a collection of links that will help you get more info on anything related to Windows 8. Watch the keynote from yesterday during BUILD Conference. If you just want to watch Windows 8 related bit in the keynote use the link below:

Everything You Need to Know About Windows 8 in Eight Minutes

Download ISO

Download Windows 8 ISOs Right Now

Feature Talks

Windows 8: classic desktop features [video]

Windows 8 requires less power than Windows 7

Windows 8: What's new on the desktop experience

Windows 8: Introducing Windows 8's tablet interface, Metro

Windows 8 app store approval policy outlined

Windows 8 Metro apps and Windows Store [video]

Hands on: Windows 8 input options and pen computing

Windows 8: A look at Internet Explorer 10

Windows Live SkyDrive Integration in Windows 8

Reviews

Welcome to Windows 8 – The Developer Preview

Windows 8 developer preview UX in pictures

Windows 8 really does change everything, it’s mind-blowing

Hands on: Windows 8 review

Microsoft blows up Windows with Windows 8

Microsoft download from The Garage: Mouse without Borders and Others

Microsoft have released a great little app for users us with multiple PCs. The addin comes from a Garage project at Microsoft which is a program designed to encourage incubations of ideas and projects.

With the application it treats all your Windows PCs as if they were one single desktop, so if you have two machines side by site (as I do at work) you can use the mouse as though they were one PC including dragging files between them. It’s a great idea and if you have a dedicated Media Center machine connected to your TV as well a laptop it would be a great way of controlling it from one place.

Source: link

Download: link

There are other applications that can be used to achieve the same and even better in some cases.

http://inputdirector.com/

http://synergy-foss.org/

Exchange 2010 SP2 on its way

“..With the release of Exchange Server 2010 SP2 later this year, we will add a new feature known as Address Book Policies . Following this addition, hosters who wish to deploy the standard on-premises configuration of Exchange and use ABP will be supported. As you may have read in a recent post over on the Exchange Partner Marketing blog, our view on whether to host Exchange using Hosting Mode or the standard on-premises configuration is changing in response to feedback we’ve had...”

Read more