GeekwithEnvy

Windows

Get Your Apple ][ Fix Without the Hardware

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OregonTrailSS

The Apple ][ and the the Apple IIgs were great machines and can spark up some serious nostalgia. The only issue is that today, they are a bit hard to find. Let’s not forget to mention that you will probably have to drop some decent cash to get one that’s in good shape as well.

There’s no need to worry though, there’s still a way you can play almost every Apple ][ and Apple IIgs game ever made and it’s in your browser. Yep, the awesome people at VirtualApple have made it so simple to load up any of your favorite games in seconds. It even makes the old drive seek sound when the emulation starts!

One game that I couldn’t resist loading up right away was Oregon Trail. This game was one of my favorites growing up and now I don’t have to buy old Apple hardware to enjoy it. Even if you have never used an Apple ][ or IIgs, I highly recommend you check out the emulator and the games they are offering. It’s interesting to look at older games and see how much things have changed, it really puts things into perspective. Besides it can definitely help cure some boredom.

All you need to do is download a simple plugin that’s compatible with most versions of Windows and Mac OS X and most web browsers.

How To Fix Windows XP Blue Screen During Install

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BlueScreenErrorIllustration

If you’re trying to install the mighty Windows XP onto your machine and you keep getting a blue screen with an error message on it, then we might just have the fix for you.

This blue screen error message usually occurs just after the Windows XP setup process finishes loading up and says “Starting Windows”.  If your PC utilizes SATA drives then what’s most likely causing the problem is a compatibility issue which can be remedied with a simple setting change in your PC’s BIOS.

  • Boot up your machine and immediately enter the BIOS. This is usually done by pressing a specific key just as your machine turns on (i.e. F2 or DEL).
  • Once in the BIOS Locate your configuration settings for your SATA (Serial ATA) connections.
  • Switch the option for all applicable drives (usually requires all of them) to IDE or “Compatibility” Mode. These are usually set to “AHCI” by default.
  • Reboot and attempt to run the install again.

Hopefully, your blue screen issue will be resolved! If not, you may have other hardware issues preventing the installation from continuing but most likely the issue is with your SATA drives.

How To Set Up Hyper V in Windows 8

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Windows 8 Pro is filled with features that are somewhat hidden and Hyper-V, a virtualization technology, is no exception. This article will show you how to to get up and running with Hyper-V. It’s important to note that Hyper-V is currently only available on Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise editions on the x64 platform (64 bit).

So what does Hyper-V do?

Well, to essentially gloss over it, Hyper-V allows you to create a a virtual machine (PC). You can customize it any way you would like by assigning how much memory, hard-drive space and other hardware features you would like this PC within a PC to have.Once you customize your virtual hardware, you can install whatever operating system on it you prefer; even Windows 95 or earlier if you are so inclined.

This technology has been around for a while and continues to get better. It’s pretty powerful stuff especially when used in large scale corporations, it can save a lot of time, money, and headaches. For the home user it’s pretty much up to you what you want to do with it. Maybe you just want to mess around with it or maybe you have some old games that won’t run on newer versions of Windows, either way you should check it out.

Finding and Installing Hyper-V

Hyper-V is not installed by default in Windows 8 and if you’re not sure where to look, you may never find it. Fortunately, it’s not that hard to set-up.

  • Head to the Desktop in Windows 8.
  • Bring up the “Charms Bar” on the Right-Hand side of the screen.
  • Click “Settings”.
  • Click “Control Panel”.
  • Now Click “Programs”.
  • Click “Turn Windows features on or off”. Here you will find a list of the many features that Windows 8 offers, one of which is Hyper-V.
  • Place a check next to Hyper-V, Hyper-V Management Tools, and Hyper-V Platform then click “OK”.

Windows will now set-up Hyper-V for use. If you can’t seem to locate the application, you can find it quickly by typing Hyper-V into Windows 8 search and then you can make a shortcut.

* Alternatively, you can open up “Run” and type in “appwiz.cpl”, then follow the last two steps from above.

HyperV ScreenShot
Hyper-V Manager

How To Fix Your Windows 8 Master Boot Record (MBR)

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openHarddrive

If you’ve been playing around with Linux or some other type of OS installation on your PC and you want to go back to Windows, but you get a MBR (Master Boot Record) error, then don’t worry there’s hope. This error can also happen for other reasons like a virus but the fix is usually the same.

The problem is just as the error message states, you have a problem with your MBR. The MBR contains important information about partitions and files that are needed to boot up your PC. Without an intact MBR, your PC will fail to boot properly and therefore it’s important that you get it back in working shape.

Here’s a step-by-step process on how to fix your MBR:

  •  Find your Windows 8 DVD and insert it into your computer.
  • Make sure your computer is set to boot from the DVD drive first ( You may need to enter the BIOS for this, See your PC’s documentation).
  • Boot your computer from the Windows 8 disc.
  • The first screen that will popup after the DVD boots your machine is the Language selection screen, click “Next”.
  • On the “Install Now” screen go to the lower left hand section of the window and click “Repair Your Computer”.
  • Now Click “Troubleshoot”
  • Click “Advanced Options”
  • Click “Command Prompt”
  • You will now see a black command window, type  BOOTREC /FIXMBR and then press enter.
  • After you press enter you should see the message “The operation completed successfully.”. Now you can type  EXIT and press enter. Now you can select “Turn off your PC”.

Once you turn your PC back on you should see that your issue has been resolved!

StarCraft Universe an Incredibly Awesome Mod

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StarCraft Universe is now available to play! SC Universe has come along way and it’s looking pretty awesome. This Mod originally got a lot of attention from Blizzard due to it’s initial name, “World of StarCraft”. The name upset the folks over at Blizzard quite a bit. Ryan Winzell, who created the Mod, was originally thought to have created the Mod using methods other than the tool set offered by Blizzard Entertainment, and Blizz was looking to throw down the iron hammer on the project. Eventually, things were straightened out and it was found that the Mod was legit. Finally, it was allowed to exist but with a name change.

It looks like a ton of effort went into this project and I can’t wait to see it grow into something even better. It’s not often that you fool a large gaming company into thinking you’ve made your own full fledged version of their game.

You can get all of the mod details including screenshots and videos at their official mod site.