Get Matching Aspect Ratios for Dual Monitors

I recently replaced one of my monitor I use in my dual monitor set up. My left, primary monitor is a 22 inch using 1680 x 1050 as the recommended resolution. My new, right monitor is a 21.5 inch using 1920 x 1090.

left = 16:10 aspect ratio   right = 16:9 ratio

The right one turns out to be wider and not as tall.

When moving screens from one to the other, they don't match. If I try to make them match in the resolution of the right to that of the left, I get blurrier display and vertical black bars on the left and right and a smaller display.

I like having matching resolutions for my dual monitors.

This table from http://www.prismo.ch/comparisons/desktop.php is a useful guide.

Desktop LCD Monitor Comparison (Pixel Table)

This table shows the screen resolution, pixel density (pixel pitch in pixels per inch, ppi), size of one square pixel, aspect ratio of the screen, number of pixels (megapixels or MP), and pixel area gain compared to a 1024 by 768 pixel XGA resolution for various display sizes (measured by the viewable diagonal).

Size	Resolution	Density	Pixel Size	Ratio	Pixels	Gain
14.1"	1024 x 768	90.8 ppi	0.2798 mm	4:3	0.75 MP	100%
14"	1366 x 768	111.9 ppi	0.2269 mm	~16:9	1.00 MP	133%
15"	1024 x 768	85.3 ppi	0.2977 mm	4:3	0.75 MP	100%
17"	1280 x 768	87.8 ppi	0.2893 mm	5:3	0.94 MP	125%
17"	1280 x 1024	96.4 ppi	0.2634 mm	5:4	1.25 MP	167%
17"	1440 x 900	99.9 ppi	0.2543 mm	16:10	1.24 MP	165%
18"	1280 x 1024	91.1 ppi	0.2789 mm	5:4	1.25 MP	167%
18.4"	1366 x 768	85.2 ppi	0.2982 mm	~16:9	1.0 MP	133%
19"	1280 x 1024	86.3 ppi	0.2944 mm	5:4	1.25 MP	167%
19"	1440 x 900	89.4 ppi	0.2842 mm	16:10	1.24 MP	165%
19"	1680 x 1050	104.3 ppi	0.2436 mm	16:10	1.68 MP	224%
20"	1400 x 1050	87.5 ppi	0.2903 mm	4:3	1.4 MP	187%
20"	1600 x 900	91.8 ppi	0.2767 mm	16:9	1.37 MP	183%
20"	1680 x 1050	99.1 ppi	0.2564 mm	16:10	1.68 MP	224%
20.1"	1600 x 1200	99.5 ppi	0.2553 mm	4:3	1.83 MP	244%
21"	1680 x 1050	94.3 ppi	0.2692 mm	16:10	1.68 MP	224%
21.3"	1600 x 1200	93.9 ppi	0.2705 mm	4:3	1.83 MP	244%
21.5"	1920 x 1080	102.5 ppi	0.2479 mm	16:9	1.98 MP	264%
22"	1600 x 1024	86.3 ppi	0.2942 mm	25:16	1.56 MP	208%
22"	1680 x 1050	90.1 ppi	0.2821 mm	16:10	1.68 MP	224%
22"	1920 x 1080	100.1 ppi	0.2537 mm	16:9	1.98 MP	264%
22.2"	1920 x 1200	102 ppi	0.2490 mm	16:10	2.2 MP	293%
22.2"	3840 x 2400	204 ppi	0.1245 mm	16:10	8.79 MP	1'172%
23"	1920 x 1080	95.8 ppi	0.2652 mm	16:9	1.98 MP	264%
23"	1920 x 1200	98.4 ppi	0.258 mm	16:10	2.2 MP	293%
24"	1920 x 1080	91.8 ppi	0.2767 mm	16:9	1.98 MP	264%
24"	1920 x 1200	94.3 ppi	0.2692 mm	16:10	2.2 MP	293%
26"	1920 x 1200	87.1 ppi	0.2917 mm	16:10	2.2 MP	293%
27"	1920 x 1080	81.6 ppi	0.3113 mm	16:9	1.98 MP	264%
27"	1920 x 1200	83.9 ppi	0.3029 mm	16:10	2.2 MP	293%
27"	2560 x 1440	108.8 ppi	0.2335 mm	16:9	3.52 MP	469%
30"	2560 x 1600	100.6 ppi	0.2524 mm	16:10	3.91 MP	521%
32"	1024 x 768	40 ppi	0.635 mm	4:3	0.75 MP	100%
40"	1024 x 768	32 ppi	0.7938 mm	4:3	0.75 MP	100%

Steps to Delete OST File from Outlook 2016 / 2013 / 2010 / 2007

Adapted from http://www.softwarepro.org/blog/delete-and-recreate-ost-file-outlook-2016-2013-2010-2007/

Deleting .ost file is quite easy if you know the location. Simply locate the Outlook folder and select .ost file and delete. But you do not know the location of OST file then follow the steps mentioned below. Remember one thing that location of .ost file different in different versions of Outlook. 

Quit Outlook (If it is Running).
Go to Run window or press windows key + r.
Type “%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook\” in the Run window and click OK.
Note: – The command will automatically locate .ost file from any Outlook 2016/2013/2010/2007/2003/2000.
Select the .ost file and either right-click on it and then hit on Delete option or press Delete Key.

I used this process to get my Outlook to actually update the cache. I had disabled the cache through
File\Account Settings\
Double Click the Profile Email

After I did so, I could see my email and the shared email account, but it was not nearly as responsive.

After I deleted the .ost file, Outlook took some time to re-load the cache (about 10 minutes). But it was faster after that.

Windows 10 Night Light Settings

f.lux, Blue light, red shift.

https://www.ghacks.net/2017/01/12/windows-10-creators-update-blue-light-mode/

Notepad++ Preferences

Configure to use spaces instead of tabs
Settings->Preferences->Language Check "Replace by space"
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8197812/how-does-one-configure-notepad-to-use-spaces-instead-of-tabs

Show white space
View->Show Symbol->Show all characters ?

Set style of white space
Settings->Style Configurator->Global Styles->White space symbols

Git Visualizations

Here are some visualization tools for git repositories

For github, https://github.com/crc8/GitVersionTree/network for your project

Git GUI. It should already be installed on your machine with Git for Windows.
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Git
From Git GUI, go to the “Repository/Visualize All Branch History” menu item

GitVersionTree https://github.com/crc8/GitVersionTree/releases
uses https://graphviz.gitlab.io/download/

TortoiseGit does have a log functionality that is useful
https://tortoisegit.org/download/

Beyond Compare: Insert spaces instead of tabs

To change the way Beyond Compare behaves when you enter a tab 

- Go to the menu \Tools\File Formats

- Select the "Everything Else" option that has a Misc tab

- Check the Insert spaces instead of tabs

- Change tab stops to 4 spaces

How to setup Google Cloud Print

I spent several hours this morning trying to get a printer so that it would be available for other computers on my home network to print.

I have a desktop upstairs with a wireless connection. For whatever reason, it cannot connect consistently to my printer when set up through WiFi nor on the wired downstairs desktop when connected by USB. I have reproduced the problem when I sit next to the upstairs desktop using my laptop.

In short,
1 - Set up Google Cloud Print Service so that your printer will be available even if you are not logged into the computer that has your printer attached
  https://tools.google.com/dlpage/cloudprintservice
2 - Install Google Cloud Printer driver on the windows computers that you want to print from.
  https://tools.google.com/dlpage/cloudprintdriver
3 - Share the Google Cloud Printer with others you want to be able to print from a Chromebook.

For more detail, follow the video tutorial. It helped me get my printing up and running.
How to setup Google Cloud Print

You can get the Google Cloud Print Connector here

https://github.com/google/cloud-print-connector/wiki/Windows-MSI-Installation

https://github.com/google/cloud-print-connector/releases

Google Cloud Print Service
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/cloudprintservice


I also tried installing "Cloud Print for Windows". http://www.swdevs.com/cps.htm

It seems to do what the Google Cloud Print Service already does. But with some windows apps to configure it.

I also tried installing Google Cloud Printer driver.
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/cloudprintdriver

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Require HTTPS or SSL with URL Rewrite

Back in 2016, I was trying to get an IIS app to run locally

I got this error:
HTTP Error 500.19 - Internal Server Error
The requested page cannot be accessed because the related configuration data for the page is invalid.

I removed the content of the web.config inside the root node. I added them back in a section at a time. It was the node that caused the error.

I had to install https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite
on my Windows 7 machine. Then the error went away.

Here is an example what to put in the node of your web.config

Steps I took to install Windows 10 on a New Hard Drive

I am installing Windows 10 on a new machine. I used the "Create Windows 10 installation media" tool from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
to create a USB to install Windows 10 from.

I had to press F12 while it was booting up while the USB was in the correct slot. The first slot I picked did not work.

I also had to disconnect the secondary hard drive.

I had to partition the hard drive and format it. I used method 3 from https://www.avoiderrors.net/unable-create-new-system-partition/. I found this from his video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ilMAAk1Q8

Method 3
1. When you see the error in question, press Shift+F10 to open the command prompt.
2. In the command prompt type diskpart and hit Enter.
3. Then type list disk and hit Enter.
4. Type select disk  X (X being the local drive.), and then hit Enter. In my case the disk where I want to install Windows 7 is Disk 0, so the command would be “select disk 0”
5. Type clean and hit Enter.
6. Now type create partition primary size=5000 and hit Enter.
7. Now type format fs=ntfs quick and phit Enter. This command will format the partition using NTFS.
8. Type assign and hit Enter. This will assign a drive letter to the partition.
9. Type active and hit Enter.
10. Type list volume and hit Enter. To list the drive letters of the Windows installation media (USB/Disc).

I modified the steps above. I used the diskpart command line program to partition and format the whole SSD. I had the secondary hard drive plugged in. One of the other methods probably would have worked if I had disconnected it to begin with. Once I disconnected it and tried again, it was able to start the installation.

When the installation wizard asked, I entered my license key from the defective hard drive.

I did not have it use a Microsoft account. I used a disconnected one.


The first error was "We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one.". This was fixed by using diskpart to partition and format the disk.

The second error was "we couldn't install windows in the location you choose 0x80300001" I solved this by powering off the PC and disconnecting the secondary hard drive.

Show Titles of Windows in Taskbar

 [Windows-Logo]+[Q] and search for taskbar

Go down to the "Combine taskbar buttons" and change the setting to "When taskbar is full"

A tooltip is stuck on the desktop and will not go away.

On my new Windows 10 laptop, I sometimes will get a tooltip that remains on the screen. It stays if I switch applications, if I minimize, if I lock the screen.

From Microsoft Answers I found that if I press [Windows Key] + [D], it minimizes all windows and it goes away.

Remove Advertise from Google Chrome

2018-02-09
I followed the instructions at https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/rockettab-ads-removal-guide

It did find some things to remove but it the "RocketTab powered by Advertise" remained in my Google search results. It was not until I reset my Google Chrome settings that it went away "Restore settings to their original defaults"

I found this at https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/7488-rocket-tab-ads

Hopefully it sticks.


2018-02-08
Somehow I got software installed that injects ads into the top part of my Google Search results. About 2 seconds after I searched, I saw some new search results show up that pushed down the actual Google results. They had a small header that said, "RocketTab powered by Advertise"

This article allowed me to remove it. "Remove Ad by Advertise" from virusresearch.org. I had already done several things that I have done before to remove adware that sometimes gets on my computer.

- Uninstall applications that you may have unintentionally installed. Sometimes software you want includes other software that piggy backs in the installation program. You have to watch for this. Always run the detailed installation and make sure you skip the other apps that have paid them to be included.

- Check for Google Chrome Extensions that may have slipped in using similar tactics on web pages.

The step I had not done before was to create a new user within Chrome and delete the old one. There must be data or something else in there that was keeping "RocketTab powered by Advertise" going.

Thanks, virusresearch.org!

How to change Windows 10 Lock Screen Timeout Period

Windows 10 has a beautiful "Windows Spotlight" background on the lock screen.

The problem is that by default you only get a minute of it. Here is how to set that value.

(Similar instructions at https://www.onmsft.com/how-to/adjust-windows-10-lock-screen-timeout )
From http://www.thewindowsclub.com/enable-console-lock-display-timeout-windows-8

Open Registry Editor and navigate to the following key: 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\ Control\ Power\ PowerSettings\ 7516b95f-f776-4464-8c53-06167f40cc99\ 8EC4B3A5-6868-48c2-BE75-4F3044BE88A7 

Now in the right pane, you will see Attributes. Double-click on it to change its DWORD value data from the default 1 to 2.

Having done this, now open Power Options > Advanced Power Settings via Control Panel. Expand the Display item. You will now see an additional entry: Console lock display off timeout. 

You would not have seen it earlier, but after editing the registry, you will get to see it. 

Windows Keyboard Shortcuts I Use

Windows 10

Winkey + A - Activates Action Center

Winkey + R - Run a command

Winkey + E - Opens File Explorer

Winkey + D - Shows desktop

Winkey + E - Opens File Explorer

Winkey + L - Locks a machine

Winkey + R - Run a command

Winkey + S - Activates Cortana

Winkey + X - Opens power user features

Winkey + Left / Right / Up / Down - Snaps apps to the side of a screen (press Up or Down after snapping left / right to enable four apps to snap)

Alt+Tab - Switch Tasks

From "The best Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts",  29 Jul 2015, Tom Warren, The Verge

PureText

https://stevemiller.net/puretext/

Winkey + V - pastes plain text

Windows 7

Taskbar and Start Menu Preferences

Here are the settings I like on Windows 10

Combine taskbar buttons 

I like the "When the taskbar is full" setting.















Here is what it looks like

Adjust for best performance

To adjust the visual effects in Windows
1. In the search box on the taskbar, type performance, then select Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.
2. In the Performance Options dialog box, on the Visual Effects tab, select Adjust for best performance > Apply.

3. Restart your PC and see if that speeds up your PC.
(Tip #9 from this post)

I usually add a few things back to it like this.

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