Hello! Quick Photoshop troubleshooting today!

Are you unable to get Adobe Photoshop CS6 to recognize a newly installed font and yet, it’s clearly in your C:\Windows\Fonts folder?

Well here’s two possible solutions!:

a) Install the font in Windows

Once you have your new font, simply right-click it and choose “install“. This will automatically install the font in Windows. Then restart your computer and your new font should be available system wide for every installed applications.

b) Copy new font directly into Photoshop’s fonts folder

1. Close Photoshop, then copy that new font in Photoshop’s Fonts folder located here:

Program Files (x86) > Common Files > Adobe > Fonts

2. Reopen Photoshop and you should be good to go!

Enjoy!

Sirus

References
-http://seane.deviantart.com/journal/Getting-CS6-to-see-a-font-when-it-refuses-to-do-so-638189432

Fix – Windows 10 update KB3189866 stuck at 45%

Hello!

If you’re running Windows 10, it’s yet another sad week. Microsoft messed up again and their latest 400Mb+ update (KB3189866) doesn’t even download properly. Most people (including myself) are stuck with an update progress stuck at 45%…

Fear not! Stop waiting and simply install the update manually in just a few clicks. Here are the direct links to download it (select the appropriate system architecture):

32 bit:
Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x86-based Systems (KB3189866)
windows10.0-kb3189866-x86_48cc54806747877357a732fee03118eb38e92947.msu

64 bit:
Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB3189866)
windows10.0-kb3189866-x64_2c3e91a8162269579c8bf26a502c620d41efef0d.msu

Run the installer and after a few restarts, you’ll be good to go again.

For some reason, this identical update when downloaded via the Windows Update Catalog web downloader, uses another filename (adds the prefix: “AMD64-all-“)… It’s strange as the files are IDENTICAL! I double checked for you and and these Checksums proves it:

Fun fact! The update’s filename contains its own SHA-1 checksum hash! (2c3e91a8162269579c8bf26a502c620d41efef0d)

Enjoy!

Sirus

References
-http://www.ghacks.net/2016/09/14/kb3189866-stuck-at-45-or-95-install-it-manually-instead/
-http://code.kliu.org/hashcheck/
-http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Search.aspx?q=KB3189866
-http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/ScopedViewRedirect.aspx?updateid=0405fe13-e4d5-4aff-8cf1-0500f5f673f7

Windows 10 Update KB 3176938 – It’s da bomb!!

Hello!

Last night I let my laptop’s Windows 10 do its updates and went to bed as it looked like a long one. When I woke up, all I had on screen was a No hard drive found/no boot device black screen error… Typical.

After a hard shutdown (holding power button for 10 seconds), I rebooted, then Windows finished doing its stuff and I shut it down normally. Then, I turned it back on. Oh boy…

Windows 10 now opens and shuts down at least twice as fast!

Unfortunately, Microsoft made it a bit complicated to find this update’s details: you need to go to the Windows 10 Anniversary Update History page (link is on the KB’s page) and click  the “August 31, 2016 — KB3176938 (OS Build 14393.105)” description link.

This update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update.

I highly recommend you update to the latest version as this one is pure steroid for Windows! :D

Enjoy!

Sirus

Reference
-https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/kb/3176938
-https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/12387/windows-10-update-history

How to save your Windows Run History!

Hello dear visitors!

Today I thought I’d torture upgrade my laptop with the latest Windows 10 version. You know, that Windows 10 Anniversary Update everyone’s complaining talking about? Click the link if you want to install it today! It’s great! :D

Before upgrading though, I really had to find a way to save my Windows Run history… As most of you may already know, I extensively use Win+R to open like, everything in Windows and upgrading clears the history. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I urge you to read my quick post on how to launch anything from the Run prompt!

RegEdit me!

In just a few clicks, I was able to backup my Run history and after upgrading, restore it back! Here’s how:

1. If you’ve never played in your Windows registry, always make a backup first.

2. Go to the key : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU

3. Right-click RunMRU and select export.

That’s it! After you’ve done whatever is it you’ve done, double-click that .reg file you just created and it’ll restore your run history!

Enjoy!

Sirus

References
-https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12387/windows-10-update-history

P.S.: If you have any specific topics you’d like to see in my upcoming YouTube channel(s), let me know!

Windows 10 Part 2/2 – Final upgrade!

Hello readers!

I finally upgraded to Windows 10 and then back to Windows 8.1 the next day! lol Before you jump to some obvious conclusions that would actually be wrong, please continue reading!

So, after upgrading my Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, the next step was upgrading to Windows 10. I finally decided I was ready to do so and everything went pretty well. That is, until my system became unstable, crashing and giving me BSODs VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE errors.

Old school

Now, you must know that my current 9 years-old motherboard (ASUS P5N32-E SLI PLUS – a 2007 model) is dying: its first PCI-E slot is dead (didn’t know that was even possible) and USB mouse often needs to be reconnected. It also does not officially supports Windows 10.

No Windows 10 for me!

Simply put, a new system is on the way and I’ll do a Windows 10 fresh install once I have my new hardware (more on that soon!).

Keynote

So, here is what you must know about upgrading to Windows 10:

1. Always make a backup of your data. In my case, all my data is on a separate dedicated hard drive than the operating system. So all I needed to do was create a Windows system image using my friend’s AOMEI Backupper tool, just to be safe. (btw, I also have & do regular backups of my data drive)
2. Start Windows 10 upgrade and wait for it to finish.
3. In some case, you may need to re-install some software; usually printers and antivirus/firewall.
4. If you want to revert back, it takes less than 15 minutes and that’s what I ended up doing.

In conclusion, if your hardware manufacturer doesn’t list drivers for Windows 10, you’re better off not upgrading. I personally prefer running officially supported stuff that having an unstable system.

Exceptions

It could also work though; I did a fresh install on my old ThinkPad laptop and it runs Windows 10 flawlessly. At first I had trouble getting all the drivers to work but managed to succeed… It’s up to you!

Enjoy!

Sirus

References
-https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/
-http://www.backup-utility.com/downloads.html
-https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P5N32E_SLI_Plus/
-https://sirusdark.wordpress.com/2016/03/10/how-to-screenshots-with-mouses-cursor/

How to – Screenshots with mouse’s cursor!

Hello dear readers!

Here’s a very, very, very useful tip on how to take screenshots of your screen(s) AND include the mouse cursor!

Usually, it cannot be done natively in Windows, but if you have IrfanView installed,you’re good to go! Oh? What’s that? IrfanView is just the best free Image viewer out there. Nothing less.

BTW, if IrfanView is NOT your default image viewing application… my sincere condolences.

Okay! Open IrfanView, press C, choose the options you want and make sure to select the “Include mouse cursor” checkbox. That’s it! Dead simple.

Here, my preferred settings highlighted in green.

Enjoy!

Sirus

P.s.: I’m actually thinking of starting a series just on IrfanView; it does so many things!

References
-http://www.irfanview.com/

Update – Microsoft Software Download Page

Hello readers!

Quick update on where/how to download again your Windows install media should you need to do a fresh install:

Microsoft now has a new Software Download page! You can download Windows install media for Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and even Windows 7!

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/

Enjoy!

Sirus