• Windows XP Home Edition SP2 (I haven’t upgraded to SP3, because I don’t want to take my chances with possible crashes)
• Razor2 Final Visual Style (XP msstyle theme) I really like this theme, it’s dark and very beautiful. Link
• Vista shell32.dll File (from Inspirat 2 Bricopack) Ok, I admit it: I like Vista’s look. Even though I don’t think that the OS beneath it is not that great, the icons are actually very nice. Good work IconFactory! I don’t know any other way of obtaining this file other than installing the pack, going to C:\WINDOWS\system32 folder, copying the shell32.dll, and then uninstalling the pack. After this, you can replace the old file with the new shell32.dll. Link
• A nice wallpaper pack. Link
• RocketDock - RocketDock, in my opinion, is a great dock that you can customize with your own taste or maybe make it look like a Mac’s Dock. Link

This is the visual set up I really love, but feel free to modify it in any way that you please, since all this software and mods are completely free.

Now, as for hardware, first of all, this is a laptop. It’s a Sony Vaio VGN-FJ170, built in 2005. Since that was before Vista’s release, I happily run XP.

• Intel Pentium M processor 1.73GHz - This is not a great processor, in fact, it’s quite slow and I have freezes occasionally. I can’t change the CPU in the laptop, but I guess I’ll have to endure.
• 2 GB of RAM - I upgraded a few months ago from 512MB, and it’s treating me well. I can run many programs at once, only limited by my CPU.
• Mobile Intel 915GM/GMS,910GML Express - My video card is not very well suited for games, but it doesn’t suck as much as some. I can still run GTA San Andreas, not maximum smoothness, but acceptable to game with.

This is the three that matter the most, and I’m mostly happy with my hardware set-up.

My next computer would be a MacBook, quite frankly, I love their design and look.

However, after browsing around a little bit, I realized I could have done much, much better. So, I’m dedicating my next weekend to research of great design by others.

One that I really like is my friend Nicole Dominguez’s SoDevious.net.

I’m hoping I can improve upon this theme, which is a possibility. There are some bugs, and I want to change up some stuff, like the sidebar and overall flow of the blog. I’ll keep my determination and work to achieve this goal.

Seriously though, I’m really starting to feel the joy of putting my words into the blogosphere.

Anyway, I’ve decided to put this post as a warning to all techies on Windows who think it’s a great idea to modify their system files, like shell32.dll or other important-looking files because they never had any problems with them. Three words: Don’t do it. Or at least if you’re going to do it, make sure you have backup of everything, and you have your setup CD for Windows.

I learned this lesson the hard way, when last Friday, I decided it would be fun to change the icons in all the system DLLs in to Vista icons (I have XP). So I got started, and after changing netshell.dll, etc. I took a break. I ended up shutting down the laptop, and when I restarted, I was surprised when my wireless network icon didn’t come up. I restarted, still not there. I went to Network Connections in Control Panel, but it wouldn’t start. It turns out the service was stopped. I thought, “Well, that’s easy, I’ll just start it.” It did not start.

Another problem: the computer would not log off, I had to force it closed with the power button. I was getting worried, and these problems consumed my two days.

Then I learned that modifying netshell.dll and cscui.dll was not a good idea. I had backed the files up, so I was in luck. Bang, there was the Network Connections service started and the wireless icon.

So rules:

1. Don’t modify system files that you don’t know much about, look for tips online. Google is your friend.
2. Leave almost all DLL files in the WINDOWS folder alone but shell32.dll. Be cautious with that one too, since it controls almost all of your computer’s icons.

But my adventure doesn’t end there. I was so happy after fixing this problem that I decided I could modify shell32.dll some more, since it didn’t seem to cause any problems, which was fine, until I decided to skip the bothersome work of replacing and finding almost 300 icons and taking the easy way out: download someone else’s modified-with-Vista-icons shell32.dll. I did that, and bam! My Start Menu “Run” and “Search” functions would no longer work. I thought a restart would fix my problems. Oh no, no, no, no.

When I restarted, I got the dreaded “Logon User Interface DLL msgina.dll failed to load. Contact your system administrator to replace the DLL, or restore the original DLL.” Windows would not start!

Not even Safe Mode would work. After trying every option in the Advanced Options menu, I gave up. The OS would need to be reinstalled. I didn’t have my setup disk.

After what I thought was a dead computer on my desk, I got the brilliant idea of trying Recovery Console. I downloaded a copy from online, put it on a bootable disk, replaced shell32.dll with the backup, and there. Windows XP started again.

What did we learn?

1. Don’t download other people’s system files and assume they will work on your PC (There is an exception for uxtheme.dll, but make sure you pick the right one if you want to add custom themes to Windows)
2. Always have a back-up.
3. Don’t lose your Windows setup CD.

What I’ve learned from this experience, apart from the ones above, is much about the Windows logon process, and how to work safely with system files.

So those who want to modify their files, make sure you’ve got a fallback if your plan doesn’t go through.

Ben recorded the podcast through his studio at home, and we were talking through Skype. Most of us were clustered in Raleigh, NC, and Nicole and I live other parts of the country.

Doing the podcast was really fun for all of us. There were a few technical problems, like dropped calls and computer fan sounds (me), but Hayes and Ben are editing this week, so I don’t think they will be a problem.

So check out Your Tech Today soon for the podcast.

P.S. I’ve got a few problems with my computer, so redesign has been delayed a while.

Many bloggers write because they love the feeling of supplying their readers with their own originality. Others blog to vent their feelings, like most of the first blogs that appeared on the internet.

Yet others “blog” to build up a reader base and earn advertisement money. That doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that their only purpose is to make cash. They could still be that artistic type who loves to share his or her ideas with the world and writes because of the passion inside. That blogger just knows how to monetize their site.

And then there are the “bloggers” who feel that it is their duty as an internet user who owns a website to blog. For them, it really doesn’t matter what they talk about, they just need some content. This method doesn’t usually lead to success, at least not as much as the previous blogger types.

Anyway, lately I’ve been feeling that I’ve slipped towards the latter blogger-type. I haven’t been feeling the same passion as when I first began my blog.

I’ve decided to personal blog and make some sort of portfolio. This will help me focus on the future and less on trying to keep up with blog posts. Like my friends Hayes Potter and Ben Armstrong, I’ve decided to focus on ventures, perhaps a company. By the way, Hayes runs Milkshake Designs and Ben runs RedTie Designs, both starting businesses that hopefully will grow and be profitable.

I’ve found over the past few months that even though I seem to have talent at design and I love a pretty website, I’m more interested in finance and function.

My school year in the 8th grade has only just begun, and the way I see it, I will be very busy this year, even on weekends.

Don’t worry, I will write about tech that interests me. Hopefully, now I will be less pressured and write more.

My goals:

• Redesign. Now.
• Writing more.
• Gather readers.

Things I feel like writing about:

• Google Chrome
• Facebook
• Internet business
• What I’m for and what I’m against.
• Social networks, like Twitter, Plurk, etc.

Expect some content hopefully soon.

I most likely will do a review when it is released, which I’m hoping is soon! Rumors and confirmation tell us that it will be available some time today or tomorrow.

It probably will not be a Firefox-killer for me as its first release, but if AdblockPlus and my other favorite extensions are ported, who knows?

Hopefully, the extra RAM will really help my rather sluggish laptop. Since I am a power user, and until I switch to a MacBook within a few years, I decided to max out my laptop to full performance.

I will post a speed test of different programs, including Firefox, with 512MB and 2GB installed, respectively. As you probably know, it’s hard to not immediately install the latest and greatest before any real testing, so hopefully, I’ll hang tight before installing.

I don’t know why I didn’t do this before. I’m looking forward to a faster boot and application launch. Check here soon.

If you want to know where I got it, I bought it from UpgradeComputerMemory.com for $48.50. I searched on NewEgg.com and many other sites, but only on UCM could I find the right memory for my rather unknown model, the VGN-FJ170. Hopefully, they will not fail me.

P.S. I know I haven’t posted in a while, I’ve spent some of the summer in Turkey, and the blog fell into despair a bit.

FriendBook was the last of their current applications to roll out for now. I’ve found it to be an extremely useful app: I’ve replaced Contacts with it after the first 3 minutes of use. It sports a very first time starting page that shows a list of your current Contacts. There is a Groups arrow at the top that takes you a page with only an “All Contacts” option, I’m not sure what you can add here. Since I am on an iPod touch, I’m sure I won’t be able to reach my full potential with this app, but it is still very nice nevertheless.

Anyway, in all views, there is a Handshake icon on the bottom right corner of every page. This page shows directions on how to “handshake” with other iPhone users and quickly swap information, like phone numbers, email, address, etc. It’s solution to the long, “Hey what’s your number?” “…” “Wait, let me type it in.” bore. Strangely, when I tried this by myself, I found an iPhone user’s “Me Card,” which is your own profile, from Ohio. (I don’t live in Ohio.) Still, it proved that it works.

However, the most important feature seems to be the little man icon at the bottom left of every page. This takes you to the top 9 friends list. This is like visual speed dial for the iPhone. You can add people from your contacts and when you tap their picture on this list, it dials their phone number, whichever you picked for them, like mobile, home, work, etc.

The FriendBook visual speed dial interface

The contact edit interface seems to be the same as the default Contacts application. Any contacts you delete or add from this app also syncs with your Contacts, so you don’t have to re-do all the changes should you ever use Contacts again (I’m serious, you might not).

What really sold me to this app as an iPod touch user is that the contacts list shows thumbnails of your contacts’ profile pictures. I love being able to see what I’m picking, so this is very useful.

FriendBook is an awesome app from Tapulous that will be attractive and useful to both iPhone and iPod touch users.

Twinkle announcements reveal that they are not thinking of an updated jailbreak version, so switching to the 2.0, yet to be hacked, is the only way to install this awesome app. It boasts improved geolocation and image posting. My tries at posting images have failed, but Tapulous already acknowledges this, and has already started on a fix.

Some pictures of this great app:

Strangely, the update downloaded with no problems, unlike all other firmwares I’ve ever tried to install. The first change I discovered after the cruiating 20 minutes of installation was the removal of all my jailbreak apps and the appearance of the AppStore. Because I updated my firmware on a different computer than the one I have my music one, my media was deleted. My contacts and other non-media items were still on because iTunes backed them up before the installation.

Overall

The 2.0 update does not change much at first glance unless you have jailbroken your iPod or iPhone and customized it. You have your regular icons, right after any other firmware install, except for the appearance of the AppStore. If the backup was successfuly, your mail, network settings, and most general settings should also be present. An interesting feature I found is that if you have changed your iPod carrier image on your iPod touch, it will stay. For example, I changed mine with Erica Sadun’s MiM application to my name, it hasn’t changed. So if you haven’t updated to 2.0, you can install MiM from Installer.app before upgrading to 2.0 to change your carrier image:

AppStore

As an Installer.app replacement, AppStore is almost like iTunes.

• There is a “Featured” page that includes a “New” and a “What’s Hot” tab.

• There is “Top 25 Apps” that includes a separate list for paid applications and a separate one for free apps. I think it can use a list for both applications too.

• A “Categories” section with assorted categories, including Games, Education, etc.

• The “Search” is exactly like the mobile iTunes, no comment.

• The “Updates” tab offers updates to your installed apps. Haven’t had a chance to try that out yet, everything so far is version 1.0.