Ed Bott, Author at TechRepublic

Ed Bott

Latest from Ed Bott

Microsoft

Taming and Tweaking Windows Vista Services

One of the most common performance-enhancing tips offered by many Windows-oriented websites is to "disable unnecessary services." But is this really a good idea? Ed Bott explains how to measure the impact of services on system performance and decide which services are worth disabling.

Microsoft

The Ultimate Vista Troubleshooting Toolkit

If Windows Vista is operating at less than peak efficiency, chances are there's a simple cause. Find the problem, fix it, and you're back at full speed. So where do you begin digging? In this screenshot gallery, Ed Bott describes 10 built-in diagnostic utilities that every Vista user should know about.

Microsoft

Fixing Windows Vista on a Sony Vaio

Last month I had a chance to use a pair of Sony Vaio notebooks that together gave Windows Vista a terrible name. In this screenshot gallery, I’ll give you a close-up look at what I had to do to turn Sony’s messy, half-baked Windows installation into one that is worthy of their excellent hardware and that takes full advantage of the new features in Vista.

Hardware

Windows Vista Media Center in HD

After years of waiting, the pieces of Windows Media Center are finally clicking into place. With CableCARD support and the latest generation of Media Center Extenders, Vista can deliver just about any kind of digital media throughout a household, without breaking the bank. Here's how Windows expert Ed Bott put a multi-room system together.

Software

Apple Software Update versus Microsoft Update

In this post, I’ll walk you through how Apple offers updates to its software and how Microsoft does the same thing. After you see both procedures in action, you tell me who’s got it right and who’s doing it wrong when it comes to consent, disclosure, and treating customers with respect. Look at the evidence and decide for yourself.

Microsoft

Readers’ ten favorite Windows programs

Two weeks ago, I published a list of my 10 favorite Windows programs of all time. The response was overwhelming and refreshingly enthusiastic, as commenters offered their recommendations and suggestions and opinions. I’ve gathered the best from that thread and turned them into this follow-up Top 10 list.

Microsoft

Windows Vista Service Pack 1

On March 18, 2008, Microsoft made Windows Vista Service Pack 1 available for general download via Windows Update. Here's what you can expect from the installation process.

Microsoft

Ed Bott’s 10 Favorite Windows Programs

Through the years, I've tried a lot of Windows software. This gallery spotlights 10 tools and utilities (many of them completely free) that have passed the test of time. All of them work with Windows XP and Windows Vista. I recommend these programs to anyone who wants to get more out of Windows.

Microsoft

HP’s slick, simple MediaSmart Home Server

Hewlett Packard is the first U.S. company to offer custom hardware running Windows Home Server. Here's what you get.

Microsoft

Troubleshoot slow starts with Vista’s Event Viewer

Is Windows Vista really slow to start up? Microsoft has already measured startup times for you, but they haven't documented the settings. Here's an exclusive look at how to use Vista's Event Viewer to track down performance problems.

Cybersecurity demands and the stakes of failing to properly secure systems and networks are high. While every organization’s specific security needs form a unique and complex blend of interconnected requirements, numerous security fundamentals almost always apply to each of these groups. It stands to reason that cybersecurity pros who effectively identify network and systems risks ...

In this guide from TechRepublic Premium we’re going to explore the various things you can do with a Linux server. We won’t leave out any steps, so you won’t have to refer to another tutorial to complete the process. The only step we will leave out is the installation of Linux, as we’ll assume you ...

If you want to deploy applications into a Kubernetes cluster, be warned — it’s not the easiest task. There are a lot of moving pieces that go into these scalable containers. Don’t you wish you had a complete roadmap, from start to finish, to walk you through the process of deploying the Kubernetes cluster, deploying ...

Ed Bott

Taming and Tweaking Windows Vista Services

The Ultimate Vista Troubleshooting Toolkit

Fixing Windows Vista on a Sony Vaio

Windows Vista Media Center in HD

Apple Software Update versus Microsoft Update

Readers’ ten favorite Windows programs

Windows Vista Service Pack 1

Ed Bott’s 10 Favorite Windows Programs

HP’s slick, simple MediaSmart Home Server

Troubleshoot slow starts with Vista’s Event Viewer

Checklist: Network and systems security

How to host multiple websites on Linux with Apache

How to deploy an application with Kubernetes

Cross-training tool kit