Insert Windows 2003 SP2 disk

Situation: You're providing remote support and installing a new role in an old environment (Windows 2003) ... well, this is over the Internet, and you may have that SP2 ISO locally, getting someone to install it or transfer it or download it may be a bit longer than you need.

If you have the ISO, you can try to mount/share through your rdp client, or you can (for Windows 2003) wait for the app to ask for the files you need and upload them one at a time.

Hey, but the ISO has the thing as a single .exe! There's no folder structure!

It's true. But you can use, for instance, 7-Zip to extract  the .exe to a folder locally, then continue with the install remotely, where it will ask for the files it needs, then you can upload just those files in an accessible location. Sure, it's probably better to download and extract on the remote server. But if you only need a couple of MB of files and you've already got the SP2 locally, why not take a look at this as an option?

Set up Harmony Remote for Motorola VIP-1216

We just installed Prism from CenturyLink. I just wanted to post something how easy it was (should have been) to convert my Harmony H659 remote to control the Motorola VIP-1216.

If you remember nothing else, "No, I don't have the original remote". Don't try learning it. Don't try guessing from the remote brand. I did this and was extremely frustrated.

You really just have to load your Harmony software, connect your remote, add the device (Video Recorder -> PVR), choose Motorola as a brand, and VIP-1216 as the model. Next, "No, I don't have the remote"! Next/Done, but then go to the Activities tab (watch TV?) and add the Motorola VIP-1216 to the TV.

Now, what functions will you not have immediately that you may want to add to the display?

Certainly, you won't have all the direct input power/mode buttons at the top. But if you have a Harmony remote, you understand why those aren't necessary. If you have an errant device in the wrong on/off state, you'll use Help to get it back in sync, though if it you're having constant issues, you may want to verify the remote is controlling that device properly in the Harmony software.

Other buttons: "On Demand", "Recorded TV", "Learn" (Not needed), "Back" (Probably unnecessary as there are other buttons that can do it), "Go Interactive" (May never use), TV/Exit to "TV (again, may never use). Certainly you can add those to the display of the Harmony if you want them.

Changing the channel about TV Remote Control

Imagine if the remote control you're using to watch television isn't a control-only device. If you have Slingbox, you know you can control what you're watching on a remote device, but the idea is to watch that "on the go." What if the idea of Slingbox meshed with the idea of Google TV/Boxee?

Further, what if the device you already have -- an iPad, a netbook, a notebook -- is the new remote control for your HTPC? Sure, it can happen with apps like GoToMyPC or LogMeIn or VNC, but what if the device is more interactive and knows what's on the display?

If you can take away the interface from interfering with what you see on TV (the channel changing notifications, the programming guide, even the commercials) and then present that on the control device, you now have an almost perfect environment for both content consumers and advertisers.

While I understand ads aren't the favorite thing, imagine if the remote could log into a resource like Hulu or Netflix or Facebook to provide you with relevant ad content on the remote so that the large screen content doesn't get interrupted by ads?

The remote control interface, meanwhile, is contained on the remote device, completely. Fully interactive with the viewing device, and the remote *knows* what's on the viewing device. Yes, you can still use the remote device for small simultaneous viewing of what's on the big screen, but all the interactive content is on the remote. Press, click, swipe, touch to change channel, check the IMDB listing for what's on the TV, tweet about what you're watching, do all the other stuff the big screen is trying to do for Google TV.

If done right, this is a two-device media center that changes the way you change the channel. The question won't be "Where's the remote?" You're already using it.

Care to share? for free?

Zolved.com has a free sharing app... Well, if you’re going to share for computer help, this is one way to do it at no charge. Windows only, and "alpha" right now, but I’m posting it here because of its potential usefulness.