Starting the Windows 7 RSS feed gadgets on logon

I've been asked to look at starting the windows 7 RSS feed gadget on logon for staff members. The management believe its a better way for rolling out information about the company than using emails. I had a bit of a google and there wasn't that much on it, so when I found out how to do it I thought I would share it with everyone.

Its actually quite simple.

First take a test machine and in Internet Explorer add the RSS feed you want to run through the gadget. Then browse yourself to c:\users\USERNAME\appdata\local\microsoft\feeds. In here you will find a file with the name of the feed. Copy this file to a new location as you will need to copy this file to everyones local area.

Second, again on your test machine, launch the RSS feed gadget by right clicking on the desktop and choosing 'gadgets'. Then select the 'Feeds Headlines' gadget. This should launch in the top right hand corner. Open its settings and choose the rss feed you want to run as default under the heading "Display this Feed". Now, with it still open browse to C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar. In here you will find a 'settings.ini'. You'll need to make a copy of this file as well.

Ok, now put these two files in a place that everyone has access to. The NETLOGON of your AD controller might be a good place. Now you can write a little bat file that will do the copying for you. eg....

echo off
xcopy \\SERVER\netlogon\rss\settings.ini "%userprofile%\appdata\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\" /y
xcopy "\\SERVER\netlogon\rss\FILE FOR RSSFEED " "%userprofile%\appdata\Local\Microsoft\feeds\" /y
c:
cd "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\"
sidebar.exe
exit

Then you can set your group policy to run this bat file on logon (USER config -> policies ->windows settings -> scripts -> logon) and that should be it. It will start everytime someone logs on and runs the default RSS feed.

Audio Device is Disabled

Recently we've had a problem with some computers not producing sound. When running the troubleshooter that Microsoft provides its tells you that an "Audio Device is Disabled." But not how to re-enable it. So this is how.

First Option

First, right click on the speaker icon in the notification area (which probably has a small red cross on it) and choose 'playback devices'

Now you should see a speaker icon in the middle of the box that has just opened. Under this right click and one of the options you will be presented with is to show disabled devices. Click this and if any device is disabled, it should appear. You may also have to check the Recording tab at the top. You can then right lick on this device and select 'enable'.

Second Option

If this doesn't work, or it keeps crashing when you try it, then it may be a permissions problem and you should try this.

Click start and type in cmd in the search area. Once found right click on the program and choose 'run as administrator'. The command prompt will now open and you should type this in.

net localgroup Administrators /add networkservice
Press Enter
net localgroup Administrators /add localservice
Press Enter and then restart your computer.

This should have fixed the problem for you.

Temporary Files Deleter

Ok, here is a very simple temporary file deleter. It uses the most common places that the system keeps temp files and deletes specific types. Feel Free to edit it to include other places as well. So as normal copy and paste into a notepad file and save as a .bat

@echo off
cd\
:: User temp files
del "%TEMP%\*" /F /S /Q

:: System temp cache
del "%WINDIR%\TEMP\*" /F /S /Q

:: User history and temp files
del "%SystemDrive%%HOMEPATH%\Recent\*.*" /F /Q
del "%SystemDrive%%HOMEPATH%\Local Settings\Temp\*.*" /F /Q
del "%SystemDrive%%HOMEPATH%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\*.*" /F /Q
del "%SystemDrive%%HOMEPATH%\Local Settings\Application Data\ApplicationHistory\*.*" /F /Q
del "%SystemDrive%%HOMEPATH%\My Documents\*.tmp"
del "%SystemDrive%%HOMEPATH%\My Documents\*.bak"
del "%SystemDrive%%HOMEPATH%\My Documents\*.log"

:: complete
exit

Reset Local Security Policy

Today im showing you a very simple .Bat file to reset your local security policy.

Have you ever logged on to a computer as the administrator but been told that you dont have admin priviledges. I have!

So this simple command resets the local security policy to default.


echo off
c:
cd\
secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\repair\secsetup.inf /db secsetup.sdb /verbose
shutdown -r -t 10
pause

It can take a little while but has worked everytime for me. After it has done it, the computer will restart. If you dont want it to do this (it needs to for it to take effect) then you can just delete the line that starts with 'shutdown'

Automate Registering Windows 7 and Office 2010

If you still not using a KMS server you will need to manually register all your windows 7 computers.
Here is a very simple bat script that will allow you to do that.
First you will need to be logged on with admin priviledges, have internet access, and run the .Bat file as administrator.

The command is very simple. It is

echo off
slmgr -ipk YOUR-PRODUCT-KEY
slmgr -ato
exit

Right, Now for Office 2010. The command is

echo off
c:
cd "c:\program files\microsoft office\office14"
cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:YOUR-PRODUCT-KEY
cscript ospp.vbs /act

That's it. The -ipk changes your product key to what ever you specify. (you'll need to put the dashes in eg 1234-123-1234). The -ato activates the new key. The same applies for office 2010, except with /inpkey and /act

That's it. You can automate this through group policy, log on scripts or simply double clicking the file. Easy