When does the Windows calendar end?

In previous Windows versions the calendar often ended at the at of the current century, but recently I noticed a different pattern...

Right, in previous Windows versions the  31/12/2099 was the last date in the calendar. But not only for Windows, also for older Sony PlayStation or Nintendo consoles. Check out this Wikipedia article for that.

In Windows 10 you see something different: If you scroll through the calendar you can always go until exactly 100 years in the future. But if you want to change the system time entirely the final date looks different:

Last date is the 31/12/2047. And I'm still talking about a 64 bit Windows version here. Speaking about 32 bit, there was another limit: 19th January 2038. Read more here: The year 2038 problem.

In short: The counter for 32 bit integer system runs out at this very date. It can cause issues in databases and file system. It needs to be changed to a format using 64 bit, which is going to have a time span for almost 300 billion years. But all that could run into an issue for software being programmed in 32 bit, even though all OS and CPU would support 64 bit by then.

At some point the issue is going to be addressed and solved...

To sum up 64 bit system allowed a wider range in future OS versions. There won't be an end - there's always a solution...

5 Reasons you shouldn't go back to Windows 7

Windows 7 is still enjoying a market share of almost 50 percent despite there was the opportunity to do a free upgrade to Windows 10. Here are a few features I miss when I'm using a Windows 7 computer again...

You get so used to the new Windows 10 features and when you start working elsewhere your operating system may still Windows 7. So you can't use certain features you were used to - not to mention that some were already introduced in Windows 8...

1: Screenshots by one key combination

In Windows 10 you can now make screenshots very easily just by using an easy key combination. You press Windows + Print and your screenshot will be saved in your user directory in the folder 'Pictures/Screenshots'. It's quite useful making several screenshots after another.

2: Virtual Drives included!

Remember software like Daemon Tools or Virtual Clone Drive? These were quite useful tools if you wanted to avoid burning an ISO image in order to use it on Windows 7 or earlier versions. In Windows 10 you don't need to install any extra tools. You just need to select on ISO file, right-click and select 'Mount'. That's it. A virtual drive will be added with your CD/DVD image. Way easier, all included. You'll noticed if you get back using Windows 7.


3: Control+V in CMD!
After so many years it's finally possible to use Ctrl+V in the command line. Pasting lines into the black box is now way easier. Going back to Windows 7 or other older Windows version you had to right-click, selecting 'Paste' to paste your clipboard. Now that's just better and faster.

4: Lots of language packs!
Changing the languages of your operating system had never been easier. You can change your Windows 10 easier to any language - even to small ones like Luxembourgish. Just go to Control Panel, 'Language', select the 'idiomas' you want, download them. After that you can easily switch to one of your downloaded languages. You only need to log off and log on again. Back in Windows 7 it was more difficult or even limited to certain version like Enterprise or Ultimate. And the amounts of possible languages are increasing. I remember working in certain companies a language change back in Windows 7 was applied by reinstalling the whole computer... But nowadays with Windows 10, no issue. Just switching to Japanese. As easy as with Android.

5: File Explorer Ribbon Bar

The Ribbon bar was first introduced as a the new view of Office 2007 applications. Some other applications within Windows 7 followed and since Windows 8 it´s also in the Windows Explorer - so jumping from 7 to 10, you will notice and you don´t wanna go back! Also having a graphical view on how fast a file transfer goes makes the new included file manager even better. Not only looks all better.


Anyway...
There are of course many more features in Windows 10 in comparison to Windows 7, but that´s just to name a few which I found were ones people would notice quite quickly. Also easy to get used to that. These examples show that you should not go back to Windows 7, although it´s still a great operating system.

Feel free to comment on if you agree or would have named other examples for reasons not to go back the OS from 2009.

Another step forward: WhatsApp for Windows

Today WhatsApp finally released its desktop version. It's a step forward following the WhatsApp Web version - but is it really better?

Actually it looks more or less the same as the web version. The connection between the computer and the phone also works via scanning a QR code on the screen with your phone.

So still no connection via email address or another user ID possible. A solution like in LINE I'd prefer more. But maybe they'll think about it in the future.

The Windows version is recommended to work with Windows 8 or higher, but some users also mentioned that it's also usable with Windows 7. In the same step there was also a Mac OS version released.

The only difference to the web version is that the desktop app has it's own window and that you can see the amount of new messages with a white number in a red circle at the WhatsApp icon in the taskbar.

I hope they use this desktop version to create better chat backups in coming updates. A HTML export shouldn't be such a big deal. And other messengers have it - so hopefully it's going to come.

Anyway, I see the introduction of a desktop version a step in the right direction which they will hopefully use to build on.

Mouse gone in Windows 10

You're using Windows 10 with your laptop and suddenly you can't see and move the mouse with your touchpad anymore. Here's a way out.

A first attempt would be to just reboot your computer, even though it's unlikely to work. Another idea is to plug in a USB mouse, unplug it and hope that the touchpad is now working.

If that also doesn`t work go to the control panel or Settings. Select 'Mouse' (or 'Mouse & Touchpad'). Go to the Mouse properties ('additional mouse options').

Select the ELAN tab (maybe called differently on another laptop, this was on a Lenovo one) and enable the device which should be disabled at that point.

I also experienced similar issues with Windows 8 and it could be solved in more or less the same way. This issue can occur from time to time.

Ways to make screenshots in Windows without extra tools

The possibilities of making screenshots in Windows have increased over the last decade. Of course there are some extra tools doing the same job - but what can Windows do on its own?

I'll show you three possible ways to accomplish that: A classic way, an included tool and a new fast key combination.

1. The 'Print' key and Paint
That's more or less the oldest trick to make screenshots in Windows. You press the 'Print' key on your keyboard and go to 'mspaint', right-click 'Paste' and the screenshot is within the file and you just need to save. Instead of Paint you can use other software of course - even Word. With pressing 'Alt' + 'Print' you copy just the windows in front to the clipboard.

2. Snipping Tool
Since Windows Vista Microsoft has included another way to make screenshots. With the Snipping Tool you are able to decide which part of the screen you want to take a screenshot from. Since Windows 10 the tool got an additional feature: It's possible now to make screenshots with a previously set time delay.

3. "Windows" key plus "Print" key
That's the one I would bet many of you didn't know. Since Windows 8 you can press the 'Windows' key plus the 'Print' key and a screenshot will be saved as a *.png file in the following directory: \Pictures\Screenshots. That's definitely the fastest possible way Windows can offer.

Picasa and drive B

To be able to search through drive B in Picasa 3.9 doesn't seem like a frequently occuring issue, but if it's a problem, there's still a solution without changing the letter of the drive.

In Picasa 3.9 you are not able to scan a drive within the letter B. Some say it has been possible in previous versions - I can't tell... Anyway..

Select Drive Letter and Paths (German screenshot)

The solution is the following:
1) Open computer management
2) Select disk management
3) Right-click at the drive B and chose Change Drive Letter and Paths
4) Click 'Add' to select a temporary folder which will be redirected to drive B
5) Confirm the selection with 'OK'

So now you just have to open Picasa, select Tools, then Folder Manager. Now you can open drive B in Picasa and select the subfolders you want.

The redirection of drive B in Picasa

Note: Many years ago the drives A and B were reserved for floppy drives. Even in Windows XP you were (with the regular way...) unable to mount another drive with the letter A or B. Since Windows 7 (and I guess probably also in Vista) the letters A and B were free to use for any other drive...

How to use F1 2011 with Windows 8

When you first try to start F1 2011 from Codemasters at your recently installed Windows 8, you'll see that nothing happened. No error - simply nothing.

The problem is the missing Games for Windows Live Marketplace Client.
You have to download and install it, then you change settings of the Windows Live application   (GFWLClient.exe ) at the Compatibilty Mode.
You need the Windows 7 settings.

But fortunately you can start the F1_2011.exe without having started the Windows Live client before.
You don't have to be logged in with the client. Of course you can connect with your account when you already have your game started.

From now on it will work everything, no other changes needed!
So let's go!

How to shutdown Windows 8

When I first started Windows 8 I couldn't believe that I was unable to shut it down.

I've also heard of people who also couldn't find 'the button' that they wrote a batch script saved on the desktop for it - even better than simply turn off the power (what I believe lots of people did...)..

Ok, my first thought was to use the shortcut ALT + F4 (still works) but there had to be a way for a normal user.

Yes there is! Move your mouse to the right down or up edge of the screen to open an extra menu.
Choose 'settings' and then there's an option for On/Off. With another click you can finally chose 'Shutdown'.

Still - it could have been hidden better..

Luckily they changed that for the update Windows 8.1 with the NEW start button...