Bill Detwiler

IT professionals can already download Windows 7 through Microsoft’s TechNet or MSDN, and the retail release will take place on October 22. Now is the time to determine how the new Microsoft operating system will affect your organization. As Bill Detwiler explains, IT departments should consider hardware requirements, upgrade paths, and driver compatibility before rolling out Windows 7. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Among all the built-in Windows XP wizards and utilities, the System Configuration Utility (or MSCONFIG), is probably one of most useful. Bill Detwiler walks you through those parts of the tool most useful for troubleshooting Windows XP boot problems. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

When troubleshooting a Windows Vista driver error, it’s always a good first step to gather information about that driver. Bill Detwiler shows you two handy tools that can help you solve those pesky Vista driver problems. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Hard drive failures are always a nuisance — if not a disaster — especially when the backups have gone missing or were never made. Whether it’s your own oversight or that of a panicked user, at some point you’ll probably attempt to retrieve files from a damaged hard drive. Bill Detwiler shows you how the Zero Assumption Recovery (ZAR) tool can help you find and restore recoverable files from a failed hard drive. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Unbeknownst to many users, Firefox has a whole host of hidden settings that can fine-tune and potentially speed up your browsing experience. Bill Detwiler shows you how to access and modify Firefox’s preferences using the browser’s about:config feature. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Instant messaging, texting, and tweeting are all the rage, yet e-mail still dominates the communication landscape–at home, but especially in business. Unfortunately, many people, even IT pros, still ignore the basics of e-mail security. Bill Detwiler goes over five basic e-mail safety tips that everyone should follow. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Dual-booting Windows is a handy way to test betas and service packs before committing to a new OS. But once you’ve made your decision to stick with the new OS or give it the boot, you’ll likely want to get rid of those extra partitions and revert to a single OS. Bill Detwiler shows you how to use the Windows Bootsect command to extract Vista or Windows 7 from a dual-boot configuration with Windows XP. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Manually configuring the wireless settings on hundreds, or even thousands, of PCs can be a real chore. Luckily, there is a way to speed up the process. In this IT Dojo video, I show how to save time and effort when configuring the wireless settings on your Windows PCs using Active Directory and Group Policy. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

If your morning routine naturally starts with a cup of coffee and firing up your PC, you might want to consider a little tweak to your system that will have your Windows XP awake and ready to meet you as soon as you settle in. Bill Detwiler shows you how to customize your Windows XP machine to wake up when you do. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Sorting out device driver problems in Windows, can be a tricky. Windows Vista and XP often retain old drivers even if you upgrade or change hardware. Unfortunately, these old, and sometimes hidden, drivers can cause hardware conflicts or make your system behave erratically. Bill Detwiler shows you how to find those old drivers and root them out of your system once and for all. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

There needn’t be a global flu pandemic for IT pros to protect their health and safety. Workplace health risks are a constant threat, whether it’s contagion, heavy lifting, repetitive motion, or plain old stress. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shares common-sense tips IT pros should use every day to stay safe and healthy at work. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

If you’re laid off or leave your employer for another opportunity, you should take steps to ensure your own personal security. Bill Detwiler shares a few guidelines for personal security that you should follow, whether you’re thinking about leaving or not. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.