About point 1. All that crappy "default" software :

Last week we receive a new bunch of computer (hp) and we did a fresh Windows install on them, just because it takes less time then uninstalling each software manually.

And thanks about vlite, i think it could save us a lot time when we are doing reinstall.

TheMugs

My biggest irreplaceable software is TrueLaunchBar [www.truelaunchbar.com]
If you're not familiar with it, it lets you beef up your quicklaunch toolbar.
[truelaunchbar.com] <- Photo of it in action
I don't jazz it up as much as I could, but the ability to have popup menus in your quicklaunch bar is enough reason to buy this program!

E-Rock

I would think backing up should be somewhere on this list. The biggest annoyance I have had thus far is having my hard drive crash and losing all my data.

And now I used Gina's tip on automatically backing up to an external hard drive and I never have to worry.

visco9

1. All that crappy "default" software

What about PC Decrapifier?!? [www.pcdecrapifier.com] or [lifehacker.com] ...that should take care of most of the "crappy 'default' software."

USBman

3. Office IT restrictions.

This one used to irk me the most until I got fed up with it and just had to find a workaround. In most workplaces, I realize that's not a viable option, especially if you want to keep your job. However, I have such little contact with IT that it's not even an issue. In fact, I'm called upon in many cases to fix computer-related issues, so I might as well be a member of IT. ("You see, your Powerpoint presentation won't load off your flash drive because you copied the shortcut for it...not the actual presentation.")

My frustration with the lockouts wasn't just a stupid matter of not being able to run AIM or something trivial like that - they actually had Disk Defrag set up for an admin lockout. They actually had a program that can't POSSIBLY be harmful locked out due to mass user stupidity. Seeing as I'm someone who likes to defrag his drives at least once a week, you can imagine how much this drove me crazy, especially when my computer would start to drag hideously. And I can't be calling IT every week to do something that, by all rights, I should be allowed to do myself.

edicius

Given it's been over an hour since this was posted, I'm surprised no one has said something about installing Linux over a pre-installed Windows. I'm not saying it, as I am a Windows person. I've tried Linux, and it is nice, but I can't find stuff to do what I need to do (Sync my Windows Mobile phone with Corporate Lotus Notes that is running on the Corporate Linux Client, among others).

RickS

Just stopping by to give props to your mention of "The Wire". Best. Show. Ever.

Also, cool article.

Rhayader

the corporate version of norton AV is pretty good, but yes I agree, the regular versions are bloat and horrid.

unruled

3. Office IT restrictions.

I thought this was cute:

From the list of types of restricted sites at my work:

"Information Technology: Proxy Avoidance Systems Sites that provide information about how to bypass proxy server features or to gain access to URLs in any way that bypasses the proxy server."

So, I suppose they could block LH based on this.

As an aside, if anyone know how to use Mail.app in a setting where the only proxy is an HTTP proxy that requires password verification, I would appreciate the advice.

Felgerkarb

If you are running VISTA and having trouble with IE - but still want to use it.......there are about 5 stripped down versions of IE that are all under 1 MB.

they are fast loading and remove many of the annoying controls....

Perhaps you could do a future story and review on them.

Personally, we have found them to be great to use

Public Relations

7. Hours spent re-installing Windows XP (or Vista).
nLite is great for slipstreaming service packs, SATA drivers, and setting up for unattended installation, but there's still a lot of time spent installing other drivers, firefox, office, small tweaks and defaults, etc.

That's why imaging software like Trueimage (pay), or DriveimageXML, or Macrium or the like are oh so handy. Have them and a UBCD4Win and you can restore in minutes and ready to roll.

1. All that crappy "default" software
Crappy default software, be it preinstalled or just "popular" is so increadibly annoying. The developers of Norton, Mcaffee, Apple Windows, Yahoo / Google toolbars, and Adobe reader products should be shot (especially Norton). Their products run like crap compared to the alternatives.

johnsmith1234

+1 dmccall.

Vista is awesome. Most of the bad pub is due to Microsoft allowing laptop manufacturers to put Home Premium on their underpowered laptops with crappy integrated graphics. Duhhh. lets see OS X run under those same conditions. *hint* it would run like a dog too.

Ive installed OSX on a partition & Vista on a partition. IMO Vista is much nicer (prettier and as responsive), not to mention the integration of Windows Media Center.

Its time for M$FT to fight back from all the negative press that is incorrect. I even read an article today about a guy blaming MSFT for Iphone's lack of battery life.

vw195

@RickS, @SamburgerHandwich: As you might guess, your Lifehacker editors are conscientious of how tilting toward one OS or another--each with their unique merits and annoyances--isn't really a "tip or trick" so much as flamebait. That said, most of these problems aren't specific to any system in particular.

After all, Uncle Bif doesn't care whether you're rocking Slackware or Windows Vista Ultimate or Snow Leopard--you're still getting that multi-forward DMV joke :)

Kevin Purdy

When Windows will not let me remove an external drive (thumbdrive/harddrive/etc) because something has a file open. Grrrr....

Anyone know how to fix that quickly/easily?

snapplez

Simple solutions for small problems.

9. Remembering passwords.

Get a password tool like KeePass or PassReminderMS and run it from a flash drive.

7. Hours spent re-installing Windows XP (or Vista)

Uh, don't keep reinstalling? Stop doing stupid things with your computer that "requires" a reinstall?

6. Windows Vista, in general.

If you don't like it, don't use it.

3. Office IT restrictions.

Those exist for a reason. Find out why.

2. GIANT email attachments.

Tell people to stop sending you large attachments.

1. All that crappy "default" software.

Build your own computer.

Not all these solutions work for everyone, just like the solutions presented by lifehacker don't work for everyone.

jtimberman

I don't think that Vista is annoying. In fact, it is the best operating system I've encountered.

dmccall

@USBman: If only. HP install their own version of Windows Defender on laptops these days and something called the "Easy Setup Core", neither of which can actually be removed by mortal means. This wouldn't be so bad if they didn't have serious security vulnerabilities. Updating their crap to protect my system because they were too dumb to realise I didn't need it is beyond the joke, especially on one of their business-line (BUSINESS!) laptops.

Sockatume

As for getting rid of default software, just image your computer after setting up the computer. saves alot of time imo. as for vista, it takes some time to get used to but once you take off the security stuff (at your own risk.! haha), it's actually a decent OS with lots of features and pretty looks. but the downside is that you'll need a pretty decent cpu, ram, and graphics card to pull it off. :/

pjp13

@RickS: We also would have accepted "Buy a Mac". Thanks for playing!

SamburgerHandwich

3. Office IT restrictions

Right now my biggest problem at work is not having admin access to install software on my computer. I mean, it's commpletely understandable, but it's a pain for me because almost nothing company-related works on my system because I've been assigned one of the newer 64-bit versions. Networking, Java, you name it ... I have issues with. I can easily deal with the issue myself and have the know how of fixing it, but I have to go through IT support which sometimes takes several days for them to get back to me.

6. Windows Vista, in general
My own fix for this was that I partitioned my laptop and installed Linux. :P

chareverie

I lol'd at the fact half the problems are Windows only. My solution is just to use Linux, but I guess that's not for everyone.

crashmaxx

1. All that crappy "default" software.

I've gone back to the "crappy" Windows Media Player because VLC kept choking on streams that WMP would play just fine.

OX4

@jtimberman: Thanks. Probably the most unhelpful post of them all.

ThinkerTDM

My #1: Gizmodo is gobbling up my virtual memory today, locking up my computer. Solution: Don't read Gizmodo.

tinyhands

9. Remembering passwords.
Just remember that when you put lots of passwords in one place you create a single point of failure! Firefox might be great for storing random forum passwords and other infrequently-used credentials, but is a no-no for primary email accounts and financial stuff - even if you're using the master password in firefox. Call me paranoid, but I'd say the same goes for charts, hashes, and similar systems: financials are always separate and never stored digitally, just in case someone is ever that dedicated (and it looks like they are: [arstechnica.com]).

mikldt

@jaxun: "Can you give me a brief overview of the differences between Office 2003 and 2007?"

"No."

FLEB

#3 Office IT Restrictions:
The IT group where I work was scared to let me install a good quality text editor. I deal with ascii files all day and they suggested I use Excell. I really like Excell but it is not a text editor.

sir_pantsalot

There's no fix for my #1: customers who ask certain unanswerable questions, such as "Can you give me a brief overview of the differences between Office 2003 and 2007?"

These are the IT equivalents of zen koans. They just start my mind spinning and suddenly there is no "I", only the One Cosmic Energy with no veil of separateness.

Both result in me staring blankly into space.

jaxun

I for one test a lot software and often become suspicious whether one of programs may have left some crap behind or permanently screwed up something in a way I haven't noticed yet. So I do fresh installs every few months just to be safe. Rather than using one of the Lite programs mentioned above, your better off creating a backup dvd right after installing all the essentials (drivers, settings, firefox, etc) and bringing the comp to your satisfaction. Next time, all you have to do is install xp/vista and then popup in the backup dvd. The whole process takes less than 1 hr for me.

rer89

@jtimberman: I have to agree with ThinkerTDM; your post is condescending and obtuse.

Rhayader

3. Offict IT Restrictions

Speaking from the "Office IT" podium: Don't be that guy. You are all one of those people in one way or another. We all are. Why? Because there are hidden assumptions in your decision making about which IT rules suck and which don't.

The rules are there for a reason. The minute you start bending them to the breaking point, you become part of the reason they're there. If you don't like the rules, then (a) learn why they were put in place, (b) learn who put them in place (you'll be surprised how often it wasn't IT but management, often over the protests of IT), and (c) find a constructive way to change the rules or ask for an exception. Don't be the jackhole that causes me extra work, because sooner or later you will need a favor from me, and just as you would in the same situation, I will be loath to trust you if you've already demonstrated you're not trustworthy.

If you need IM that badly, there's a telephone on your desk. If the rules annoy you so badly that you cannot work, and your employer refuses to consider change or a reasonable exceptions policy, then perhaps you should fine another line of work.

Brian Little

@snapplez: I don't know if Windows still does this, but I remember it being an issue if you right click>eject from "My Computer", I guess because by having "My Computer" open you were accessing the drive. I just make sure I don't have any instances of explorer open and use the taskbar to eject. There can still be issues if any programs you were using are open and are storing temp files/cache/whatever on the drive. For instance, I've had problems with having a site open in Dreamweaver that was on an external drive, even though none of the files were open. I suggest closing these applications as well.

@Kevin Purdy: agreed, but hey, when they make Vista a category they're setting the stage. Personally, I keep each os within reach, the right tool for the job and all that, except Vista. I'm sure it's simply a matter of time before I need that too (directx10).

SamburgerHandwich

@Brian Little: Amen, brother. Amen.

Kandy477

As A PC tech, let me say this: MOST PEOPLE NEED TO BE LOCKED DOWN. A few years ago I went back through all of my support requests for a three months period and categorized them according to the cause of the issue. It turns out that over 30% of my tickets were directly caused by the users installing some third-party app, or making changes to the system when they shouldn't have. That is not an insignificant number.

Furthermore, I can't count the number of times I've had calls relating to network issues that took down ENTIRE facilities and the problem was that some numskull was running Limewire on his office Desktop.

Kandy477

3. Office IT restrictions.

Let me explain it to you in simple language: it's THEIR computer, not yours. You don't own it and you don't own the data on it.

Firefox is not worth getting fired over. No program is, no matter how "cool" it is.

For the record, most employees don't interface with the IT people that make policy. Beating up your Helpdesk techs because your company won't let you have this or that gee-gaw won't help and it will probably make him/her hate you over time.

Ausoleil

@Kandy477: IT FTW!
also, i enjoy Opera USB and AIM Lite . both are portable on a usb drive and aim lite is made by aim for both windows and mac and its just awesome in general.

danger the pirate

Real 10-top computer annoyances:
(1) Can't find a file I was working on.
(2) Auto "updating" programs stealing my bandwidth, interfering with what I was doing.
(3) Programs that insist on their own organization scheme, that want to "import" all the data rather than co-exist with similar programs.
(4) Freeware that becomes nag-ware or payware.
(5) Activation headaches (including shareware limited to one computer).
(6) Missing codecs/file handlers.
(7) Missing defaults for common web services (all email programs should do gmail automagically, all picture programs should do flickr automagically, etc.)
(8) Cut-and-paste headaches
(9) Uninstallation headaches
(10) Registry headaches

scottpope

@edicius: Seriously, don't be this guy. Don't be the guy who thinks he can do the tech's job because he knows a little bit about Powerpoint. And I'm not saying this to be mean, but you come of like a retarded jackass when you make such a statement.

You are not privy to internal IT communication, and therefore have no background info on why a seemingly harmless action is blocked. You have no idea why you can't, for example, install IE7 on your work computer. You've had it installed at home forever and it works fine, right? Plus you want tabbed browsing at work, so you just install it yourself and then have to call tech support a few weeks later when one of our in-house applications won't run, and the reason being because it doesn't run on IE7 and WE KNEW THAT but you didn't.

I once had a user at our billing office who thought that Automatic Updates should be turned on for all of the XP machines at her location, so she hacked the local admin account and did it herself. What she didn't know was that we test all MS updates in our lab as soon as they are released, and then deploy them a few days later via MS SMS once we've determined that they are safe. One day, MS released an app that broke our internal billing software so we didn't push it out. However, due to the changes initiated by Ms. Stupid McUserchick, all users at that location were affected by the update and the billing software wouldn't run. AT THE BILLING CENTER.

It took me an entire day to sort it out, and needless to say, she is no longer with us. So for your own good, never assume that you know better than the IT department.

Kandy477

On avoiding IT restrictions: [www.asktheadmin.com]

Read it, know it, embrace it. You really don't want to go making enemies in the IT department.

jglessner

@vw195: 1st gen Intel iMacs and Macbooks shipped with the craptastic Intel GMA 950, the worst integrated graphics on the market. Now Macbooks ship with the slightly less crappy Intel X3100.

@snapplez: Stuck open files? Try using Sysinternals Handle tool, or search for handles in Process explorer. Handle can close the handle, as can the tool Unlocker.

@crashmaxx: Some of these might be problems moreso on Windows systems (Norton), but only 3 are the direct "fault" of Windows (7, 6, 4).

Linux is good, and it does a very good job of some things: price, server operation, variety / ability to customize, and it's the ultimate if you need a custom OS for an application or you want to learn the insides of an OS.

That said Linux does have issues of it's own. I know if I had to reinstall Linux on my Ubuntu box it would probably take just as long to get it going and just as I like it. I remember getting TightVNC server going gave me some headaches and was far from intuitive. Plus Linux is guilty of coming with a lot of software preinstalled that I may not want, and Ubuntu bugs me all the time to update. Gnome and KDE also seem to really load down old machines without that much gain. DSL linux is an example of a linux distro with an easy to use interface that doesn't take over my RAM and swap partition.

My number one issue with Linux: Dependency heck. It seems to install one little app requires dozens of libraries taking up untold amounts of space, and if the app isn't in the repository, it is a royal PITA to install.

johnsmith1234

For number 8, who wouldn't want to click through a result in google without ever reading an article when posting a link to it? Disabling click tracking does have its advantages regarding privacy though.

jstark101

@jtimberman:

"7. Hours spent re-installing Windows XP (or Vista)

Uh, don't keep reinstalling? Stop doing stupid things with your computer that "requires" a reinstall?"

Well, actually, sometimes there are good reasons to reinstall an Operating System. If you install a lot of software (like I do, I'm constantly looking at new software), over time the computer becomes slower, and slower, and slower, till it almost becomes unusable. So in that case it is beneficial to reinstall the OS, and not just for the assorted bad-ware that people can get from running Kazaa or Limewire, or downloading porn, or whatever. There's no reason that a computer with 768 MB of RAM shouldn't run XP fairly quickly.

Now, don't get me wrong, it is an arduous chore, not something I'd do every day or even every month, but once the slowness gets to the point that I can't stand it anymore, then the time comes to reinstall. At the rate I go, it's about every 2 years or so.

Cheers!

SinisterMatt

Rhayader: "I have to agree with ThinkerTDM; your post is condescending and obtuse."

+1

lutopia

My biggest annoyance is when I get on the internet and have to type the URL to every website I want to visit. So I created [www.linkrow.com] where all of the popular websites are one click away. You just set it as your homepage and everytime you open your browser you have access to all of these websites. You will eventually be able to customize everything. Plus it has a blog ranking section where Lifehacker was ranked number 7!

linkrow

@johnsmith1234: Thanks for the answer to snapplez's file closure question. Very timely for me.

Mdmrptr

@snapplez:

Snapplez, use a software named 'Unlocker'. It can be downloaded loads of places. It unlocks all sorts of files that the system locks for various reasons. You will have to install it on the computer that has locked your pen drive file, but that should be simple to do as unlocker version 1.8.12 only is 183 KB in size. Maybe keep Unlocker on your pen drive for future occurances of file locking.

altogetherdifferent

@snapplez: WhoLockMe is another program that does this. After you install it, it puts an option in the context menu that gives you a dialog showing what programs are using the file/drive.

ninjabob7

@FLEB: And in my mind, I am thinking "Yes, yes I can. When you click on Help > About, it will say Office 2007 instead of Office 2003. Brief enough?"

jaxun

@Kevin Purdy: What about: Windows is so Slow annoyance?! ;)

Albaraha

xcopy /options >log.txt

johnsmith1234

Re: #4, file copy issues.

If you're trying to copy a large file (or large folder), why are you going GUI in the first place? Drop to the command line and use xcopy, its free and is pre-installed in Windows (not sure if its available in Vista though). And just like every other good command line program, it takes the parameter of /? to get the specific list of parameters it takes and what they use.

Granted, it doesn't tell you how long will be left for the transfer to happen, but one of the options it has is to continue copying if an error occurs. It doesn't allow you to generate a log of those errors and you'd have to scroll through the list to find them (or just compare file sizes), but it works the majority of the time without problems.

harrellj

@johnsmith1234: You are totally correct, I forgot about that handy-dandy operator.

harrellj

(10) Registry headaches
Totally agree, why not all settings in ini file ???

Nxqd3051990

My University's IT department blocks anti-virus updates... no kidding.

eilu

@scottpope: Lol on topic about auto updating taking your bandwidth..

It's funny how Windows Vista's updating feature magically turns back on, even though you disabled it....

owenw

I've found that the vista file copy method is more than capable than doing the job right once you've upgraded Vista...

LOL, i didnt even know Norton existed anymore...:P

owenw

About the IT restrictions (though I didn't RTFA), you can always use portable apps on a flash drive or something.
pendriveapps.com and portableapps.com have a nice collection of portable apps.

zmjjmz

#4 would've come in handy when my hard drive went tits-up and I had to use a fresh install of XP to save everything. Only file I couldn't move to the external drive was the ISO of "Dark Side of the Rainbow"... which probably had more to do with it being over 4GB and the hard drive was FAT32. -_-

drjayphd

@OX4: Ditto, I reverted to WMP WinAMP and just uninstalled VLC as well. The latter is good for playing MKV files, but that's about it. I won't remember my shortcut settings, pauses when it wants to instead of when I press the button, and what's with the video and images that it leaves behind, only visible in the blackest of black pixels on my monitor?! The first time I saw that it scared the dog shit out of me. Good riddance.

Finalboss

Wow, I can't believe the huge file copy nightmare made to the top ten list. I've just got a new NAS and copying 100's of GBs from the old to the new is taking me absolutely ages because I can't seem to copy more than 5-10 GB at a time without it choking. Never heard of anything like TeraCopy but trouble is, I'm on a Mac - please tell me there's an equivalent!

mtyhk

Going to try out teraware. BTW in some circles you can get a slipstreamed version of XP that's ready to burn, but it's considered illegal if you download it - but know that it is available so you don't have to tinker with it yourself. Lots of system operators at big companies use these to load xp on to the machines, it makes it easier and quicker then having to do a full install and having to tend to it. I don't see a problem so long as you have an actual xp copy with a real serial for validation.

Internet-TV

I forgot to mention, ycopy was meant to copy files with no nonsense. So it automatically skips files it cannot copy. And logs them.

phoood

I never liked teracopy, something about how it replaces explorer and other things. I like ycopy [www.ruahine.com] . It works, simple, does not integrate with explorer. Select source dir and destination and go. It displays how much/many you copied and logs files that failed to copy.

Hopefully lifehacker will write an article about it. Definitely a useful app, iirc I read about it in one of LH's comments.

phoood

Right when I reinstalled vista to get rid of all the bloatware vista installed the wrong sound drivers (disabling all sound) so i had to track down the right drivers over the net.
dual booting ubuntu and xp now.

skullhand

Teracopy is good, problem is, it doesn't exit after each download, you have to click close.. yet another annoyance

S_Dot

@edicius: Try a free defragging utility that can be run as a portable app. Lifehacker reviewed a good one a couple of weeks ago and I used it on my computer; it works beautifully.

JKDefrag w. GUI

hummer13

It's gotta be remembering passwords..In my opinion, by far in 1st place. Is there any software that saves all of your passwords no matter what happens?

Patrick84

But doesn't removing click-tracking mean that you no longer get Google Search to understand you... to understand what sort of searches you do... which leads to less personalized results in the future?

bluecloud

Kevin,

Just for kicks, I looked up the definition of "crapware" in the Urban Dictionary- after all, that's the only dictionary I really use these days. To quote, crapware is "(1)malware (2)useless software, not malicious in nature, shippped with OEM machines, or installed by computer users." Let's start with the first description, malware. This is a touchy one. RealPlayer has, ahem, a reputation for making people turn green. I totally get that. There were some old versions that were completely crappy and full of unnecessary "extras"- though at the time were thought of as experimental. Failed experiments, to be sure, but boy did we learn what not to do! Regardless, I think "malicious" is grasping at straws.

Now is RealPlayer "useless software shipped with OEM machines, or installed by computer users"? No and yes. We think media players are a vital part of a computing experience, straight up. Is it useless? We wouldn't have made it if we really felt that way. And yes, it IS installed by users. I know, crazy right?

Seriously though, people are angry about RP's history. We learned that a long time ago. We read your posts. We really did try to improve our latest version a lot. It is not chock-full of extra features you do not need on your system. The message center (a major issue for a lot of people) is now opt-in, instead of opt-out. And coolest of all, anyone can download DRM free videos to their hard drive. It's a cool way to get your video collection going strong. There is no spying going on, and to be clear, there never was. What you watch is yours, and yours alone.

RealPlayer 11 has been out for just over a year and it's gotten a lot of great reviews. We are trying to learn from our mistakes and we tried to make RP11 the best product possible. Take it or leave it, that's where we are today.

Lacy Kemp
RealNetworks Blogger

lacykemp

For tracking/creating passwords easily, supergenpass is easily my favorite.

[supergenpass.com]

philly_phenom

Curing #5 is easy! Just delete them. You know you don't really care, they never ask if you read them.

BoxOfSnoo

@jtimberman: Correct though you may be, you miss the raison d'être to Lifehacker commenting: complicated solutions to non-existent problems.

Especially #3 - talk to IT.

sheepster

Annoyance #8 - [www.SurfCanyon.com] recently add an "Email This" link to the SERP making it easy to "grab" the result link, or send it along: [blog.surfcanyon.com]

mcramer

@visco9: I would think backing up should be somewhere on this list. The biggest annoyance I have had thus far is having my hard drive crash and losing all my data.

You mentioned that you have an external hard drive, which is a good start. But you should also consider having multiple OSes on you computer. Whether it's Lose98, Lose95, or just FreeDOS, having a primary partition that isn't ruined when your other partition fails (LoseNT/2K/XP/Vista) can make reinstalls much faster. You only have to reformat and recover one logical partition rather than the entire system.

KJones