There are some really cool illusions available in the latest theme pack for Windows 7

Download Illusions theme

“Optical illusions, planets of grass floating in impossible summer skies, and homages to M.C. Escher fill this free Windows 7 theme of weird and wonderful digital art by Josh Sommers.”

Download Illusions theme

Update 02/09/2011 just a quick shout out to jennifer who has posted some more information about this theme and Josh Sommers on the official Windows team Blog

Rob

Hot on the heels of yesterdays post about Windows Home Server 2011 resources comes news of Update Rollup 1 for Windows Home Server 2011 which fixes 9 major issues amongst other things.

Read the KB2554634 for full details of the rollup and what it fixes and how to get it.

Rob

This weeks images in the bing dynamic Windows 7 theme feature a baby African Elephant and Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur California

Juvenile African elephant with cattle egrets

Waves and sea spray through a sea arch at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, California -- Patrick Smith/Visuals Unlimited, Inc

Get new pictures on your desktop everyday with the Bing dynamic theme for Windows 7

One quick note when you download this theme you will see a message like

make sure you select the Download Attachments option.

Rob

Various brochures, datasheets and whitepapers related to Windows Home Server 2011

Learn more about Windows Home Server

Rob

If you have a Windows 7 PC that is slow to startup, with a big hard disk and you know you have created many restore points then consider this hotifix that is available that should fix your problem.

KB2555428-The Windows 7 startup process is slow when you create many restore points

Learn more about System Restore in Windows 7

Rob

If for whatever reason you need to install Windows Live Essentials 2011 without an internet connection then visit the Windows Live Solution Center for a list of links for each of the 48 languages that it is available in (or use the ones listed below).

Simply download the file and then use it on the PC that is not connected to the internet, be warned it is over 200mb in size, as it includes all the Windows Live products.

Get more Windows live Help

Rob

Did you know that yesterday the word ‘retweet’ entered the  Concise Oxford English Dictionary amongst other words.

Woot! Retweet and sexting enter the dictionary (The Telegraph Online)

Rob

So this can happen for a number of reasons (see below) and we have a pretty good Kb article (KB175775)  that discuses the cause and possible ways to fix it

This behavior may occur for one or more of the following reasons:

• A corrupted browser choice setting may cause Windows to misinterpret which browser is set as the default browser on your computer.
• Settings were changed after a software installation that cause webpages not to work correctly.
• A previously installed browser or add-on may be interfering with other software on your computer.
• Registry key were changed or became corrupted

The Kb article gives 4 possible resolutions:

• Check your default web browser setting
• Change the file types that Internet Explorer opens by default
• Use the Internet Explorer (No Add-ons) mode
• Reset Internet Explorer settings
• Reregister the necessary Internet Explorer DLL files

as well as various advanced troubleshooting tips and additional support options.

Get more help for Internet Explorer

Rob

“Malicious software may change Windows Internet Explorer proxy settings, and these changes can prevent you from accessing Windows Update or any Microsoft Security sites.”

However do not worry as there is a Microsoft fixit that will automatically fix it for you.

Read more about Microsoft Fix it 50566

Rob

You can have Windows automatically download recommended drivers and detailed information for your hardware and devices. This is a good way to make sure all your hardware and devices work properly.

Watch this video to learn how to automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware

Rob