Tuesday, December 23, 2008

How Microsoft missed this!

Nobody can create a folder anywhere named as “con” , “PRN” , “LPT1” , “LPT2” , “LPT3” , “COM1” ,”aux” , “COM2” or “NUL”

This is something pretty cool...and unbelievable... At Microsoft the whole Team, including Bill Gates, couldn't answer why this happened! It is a standard device name in DOS. You cannot use these too

In addition, the following file names are pre-assigned to certain devices.

CON:

Console (screen display for output and keyboard for input)

PRN:

Printer. This is usually LPT1.

LPT1:

The first parallel printer/port. The printer device may be used only as an output device.

LPT2:

The second parallel printer/port (for output only).

LPT3:

The third parallel printer/port (for output only).

COM1: or AUX:

The first asynchronous communications adapter port.

COM2

The second asynchronous communications adapter port.

NUL:

A nonexistent device to avoid the generation of output from programs.

Try it out yourself...

Source: https://www.nilebits.com/blog/2009/01/how-microsoft-missed-this/

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Windows Installer Service is unavailable!

I got this error when I was trying to install any application, I didn't know if this error is a bug in Windows Vista Ultimate or a bug in Windows Installer.
However finally I got the solution after days of searching Google to get any solution for this error but I didn't find any.

What I have discovered so far is an application or registry entry I don't know, it starts the Windows installer process not the service and keeps it running so when you try to install it gives you this error:

"Another application may be running setup. Finish any installation in progress, or restart your computer and re-run the setup"

It feels that you are running another setup.

To be able to run your setup just ends the Windows Installer Process from the Task Manager.