Enable Run Command on Windows 7 or Vista Start Menu

A number of people have asked me how to enable the old Run dialog that existed on every other version of Windows until Vista, and is still gone in Windows 7. One of the nice features of the old Run dialog was that it saved the history of what you had typed in.

We should note first that you can always get to the run dialog by just hitting Win + R on the keyboard, which is the simplest way to do so, and would probably be worth getting used to.

Otherwise, you can re-enable the run dialog by right-clicking on the Start Button, selecting Properties, and then clicking Customize on the ensuing dialog window.

You’ll be taken to the Customize Start Menu screen.

Check the “Run command” checkbox in the list, and you should now be in business:.

Note the addition of the Run… button.

Windows 7 Random Freezes Fix Available

Microsoft has warned users of the attest iteration of its Windows client and server platforms that they could experience problems related to their machines, when the OS stops responding for no apparent reason.
According to the Redmond company, the problems reported by customers do not fit any pattern, and appear to happen at random.

Fortunately enough, the software giant already has a solution for the problem available to affected customers running Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

“A computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 stops responding randomly,” Microsoft stated.

“Applications or services that are running on the computer stop working correctly. Additionally, you cannot log on to the computer by using the remote desktop connection utility,” the company explained.


Microsoft noted that it has identified the problem, but offered very little information to customers.

“This issue occurs because of a deadlock condition between the Lsass.exe process, the Redirected Drive Buffering Subsystem (Rdbss.sys) driver, and the Winsock kernel,” the company said.

A hotfix has already been made available for download, designed to allow end users to resolve the problem described above.

Still, Microsoft is emphasizing that only customers affected by this specific issue apply the hotfix.
“This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix,” the company said.

According to the information that accompanies the hotfix, all customers running Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be getting the fix with Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Microsoft revealed that the first upgrade for Windows 7 will resolve problems generating random freezes.
Windows 7 SP1 is currently available for download as a Beta release, with Microsoft planning to wrap up and deliver the upgrade to customers worldwide in the first half of 2011.

Fix Windows 7 Poor Performance and Connectivity Issues for Wi-Fi

In certain scenarios users of Windows 7 and Windows Vista can experience problems when connecting their mobile computers
to some Wi-Fi hot spots
. According to Microsoft, symptoms will vary, and can include poor performance as well as having the wireless network connection dropped altogether. The Redmond company revealed that these issues are also associated with mobile machines which are running on battery power. The software giant noted that customers running Windows 7or Vista mobile PCs and connecting them to wireless access points (AP) also reported these issues.

“This issue occurs if the Wi-Fi hot spot uses wireless APs or routers that do not support the 802.11 power save protocol,” Microsoft informed. Still, the power saving features built into both Vista and Windows 7 by default, contribute to this problem. Essentially, when a Windows 7 mobile PC is plugged into a power source, the wireless network adapter will go into Maximum Performance mode and switch off 802.11 power save mode. At the same time, for Windows 7 machines running on battery power, the wireless network adapter will go into Medium Power Save mode, which is associated with the 802.11 power save mode.

“When an 802.11 wireless network adapter that is set to use power save mode wants to enter a sleep state, the adapter indicates this intention to the wireless AP. The adapter does this by setting the power save option in its packets or in the 802.11 frames that it sends to the wireless AP,” Microsoft informed.

“If the wireless AP does not support this feature correctly, the wireless AP continues to send packets to the client network adapter even if the client network adapter radio is turned off. Therefore, these packets are lost. In this scenario, the symptoms that you experience may vary depending on the phase of the wireless connection in which these packets are lost,” the company added.

Microsoft offers three methods for end users to manually correct problems:

“1. Connect the mobile PC to a power source – When you plug the mobile PC into a power source, Windows Vista or Windows 7 switches the wireless network adapter power setting in the default power plan from the Medium Power Save setting to the Maximum Performance setting. This turns off the 802.11 power save mode.

2. Modify the default power saving power plan – Modify the default on-battery power setting for the wireless network adapter. Configure the wireless network adapter to use the Maximum Performance setting when Windows Vista or Windows 7 is configured to use the Balanced power plan or the Power saver power plan. To do this, follow these steps:

- Click Start, type Power Options in the Start Search box, and then click Power Options in the Programs list.
- If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue.
- Click Change plan settings under the power plan that is selected. For example, if the Balanced option is selected, click Change plan settings under Balanced.
- Click Change advanced power settings.
-In the Power Options dialog box, expand Wireless Adapter Settings, and then expand Power Saving Mode.
- In the list that appears next to On battery, click Maximum Performance, and then click OK.

3. Use the “High performance” power plan – If the computer is running on a power plan other than the High performance power plan when you connect to a wireless network, manually change the power plan to High performance. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, type Power Options in the Start Search box, and then click Power Options in the Programs list.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue. Note: You can also right-click the battery icon in the notification area to access the Power Options command.
Click High performance.”