Open in New Window Size

It can drive me crazy, how sometimes you choose the option to open a link in a new window, in Internet Explorer, and the new window isn't the size you want.

I was dealing with that just a few minutes ago, because I had a list of links open in one window, and I was one-by-one right-clicking them and choosing Open in New Window.

Here's how I solve the problem. (I still have Internet Explorer 6.)

1. If the source window is maximized, restore it to its sizable state. You can do this by double-clicking the title bar, for example.

2. Now, make this window be the size you that want new windows to be. Position it where you want new windows to be positioned.

3. Maximize the window. Restore it again, and notice how the size and position are as you left them. Re-maximize it.

4. Now, right-click a link and choose Open in New Window. It opens in the position that you set, and in the size that you set.

Password for the NETWORK SERVICE account

The NETWORK SERVICE account does not have a password. When you're configuring a service to run using this account, you can blank out the password fields, or enter anything and it will be ignored.

What you CAN'T do is leave the original placeholder dots. If you do, it'll keep telling you to enter a valid password.

In the past, in order to document necessary permissions for files and databases, I have had to test running the same service using the local SYSTEM account, the NETWORK SERVICE account, and a local or domain account.

To change to SYSTEM, you just select the radio button. But when it's time to switch back to NETWORK SERVICE, it's confusing. It is not obvious, what you should enter for a password.

If you explicitly blank out the password fields, you'll be good.

Cannot copy (filename): The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

One of the products I test is available for download, in addition to being available on CD media. We use WinZip to create a single-file self-extracting downloadable version. Our customers are able to download a ProdName.exe file, and run it to extract the CD image to a local or network folder.

Sometimes, depending on where they extract it to, they get an error. The problem is that our product CD incorporates the SQL Express installer, which has a very deep folder structure of its own. The longest path in the product CD folder structure is 186 characters:

\Bin\3rdParty\SQLExpress\setup\program files\microsoft sql server\90\tools\binn \windows\winsxs\3kn09qps.lm8\x86_microsoft.vc80.mfcloc_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_ 8.0.50727.42_x-ww_3415f6d0.manifest

If someone attempts to extract the contents to a directory that has a long path already, they can get this error:

Cannot copy (filename): The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

Or, if they're able to extract it successfully, sometimes they get this error when they try to copy the entire CD directory to a different location:

Can't create output file: (filename)

The errors occur because the maximum length of a Windows path is 260 characters.

The solution is to extract or copy the install to a folder with a shorter path name. In our case, because our sub-path takes up 186 characters, everything that comes before \Bin... must have a length not more than 74 characters.

How do you know what version of Windows you have?

You can find out what version of Windows you have, including what service pack (for example, XP vs. XP SP2) by running the winver command.

1. Click the Start button, then click the Run menu option.

2. In the Open field, type winver and click OK.