Microsoft’s upcoming operating system Windows 8 is coming with a unique feature called “System Reset“. System Reset will let users restore Windows 8 to factory defaults. This feature will save a lot of time for system administrators and users alike, and will save you from having to reinstall Windows.

RefreshPC is a free program developed for Windows that offers similar system reset option to current Microsoft Windows operating systems. Though this freeware application will not restore the operating system like Windows 8′s “System Reset” feature, but it will restore only a few sections of the operating system.

RefreshPC will be handy for users, who love to experimenting with Windows Registry settings and system services. Another example would be users who have used Windows system optimizer and have caused more harm to the system than good. Malicious virus, spyware, trojan attack that changed critical system settings can also be restored back to default after cleaning it using your favorite antivirus.

After you have downloaded RefreshPC, you need to install the program and create a System Restore point (recommended). The program than detects your operating system and version, and displays the information. You will find only a single button that will let you restore the settings to their factory defaults when clicked on.

RefreshPC will do the following:

The freeware application is compatible with all 32-bit and 64-bit editions of the Windows operating system, from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Download RefreshPC for refreshing your Windows back to defaults.

GFI Software is a leading software provider for small and medium-sized businesses (SMB‘s). GFI Software has recently released GFI Backup 2010 Business Edition. This new backup solution is ideally suited for SMB administrators who wants to create a single backup/restore task and apply it across the entire network. This will save valuable business and productivity time in configuring multiple tasks as well as maintaining them when a change in policy occurs. GFI Backup Business Edition has purposely been designed to make sure that the process to restore data is reliable, efficient, fast and easy to manage.

Through GFI Backup’s central administration (web) console, system administrators can easily configure and carry out company-wide backup policies in a single task. Using the GFI Backup Agent, users can easily create their own personal backup and restore tasks, over and above the centrally created default backups. You can view the full feature list here.

Today we looked at this same GFI Backup Business Edition and present here a review and a guide.

Installation and Usage

Installation of GFI Backup Business Edition is quick and easy by following the simple install wizard. During installation you are required to configure the connection settings, i.e., configure the IP address, HTTP and HTTPS ports that will host the GFI Backup administration (web) console.

Configure the administrator account credentials, and, after a couple of clicks more on the Next button, the installation will complete.

After completing the installation, when you click on the Finish button, the installer launches the GFI Backup administration (web) console on your default web browser.

Now, in the console, simply configure the Administrator Console log in details. Select the data access method according to your requirements. Click on Finish.

GFI Backup Business Edition is mainly composed of two interdependent components:

• GFI Backup Administration Console: The GFI Backup Administration Console is installed at a central location with network access to all the computers that require a backup solution.
• GFI Backup Agents: The GFI Backup Agents are the components that manage backup and restore operations on client machines, including the computer where GFI Backup Administration Console is installed.

GFI Backup provides a complete system that enables the management of all backup agents installed on networked computers. The main interface is nicely laid out so you can easily select the backup or other task you want to create or configure.

Once GFI Backup Administration Console is installed and agents are deployed on all the computers from where to take backups, configuring new backup tasks is the next logical step in using GFI Backup. GFI Backup Business Edition provides the option to backup files and folders, and, also to backup SQL servers. The facility to back up and restore Microsoft SQL Server databases is a very important function for any organization. This function provides you with the facility to backup databases as they are at specific points in time and will allow the restore of data to that specific instant.

Creating your first backup is simple following the steps in the New Backup Wizard. The backup destination can be an local/external hard drive, removable media, CD / DVD / Blu-ray disk, network locations, LAN folder, and even an FTP server. Backups can be ZIP compressed to save space and you can also add ZIP password protection or AES encryption to the backups for security. You can also select the Backup type as Replace Backup type or Stack Backup (with versioning) according to your requirements. Backup tasks can also be easily scheduled based on your preferences. Using the Pre & Post Actions tab, you can further configure the notifications and actions that will be performed before or after the backup. While the back up is running you can monitor the progress. You can back up files even if they are still open using the Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). Restoring files is also very easy with GFI Backup.

After completion of the backup task, a report is generated so you can monitor the results.

If you have any problems or want additional information about backups, everything is stored in log files.

System administrators can access different controls and perform backup and sync tasks easily from the System Tray Agent.

GFI Backup Business Edition also provides a vast number of settings for the system administrator to play with.

GFI Backup enables users of computers on which the agent is installed to set up their own synchronization tasks that enable the automatic replication of data stored on a workstation to an additional local or remote network location. The command line tool enables you to create new, import, execute, and remove tasks on the computers where GFI Backup Agents are installed. It also enables you to decrypt encrypted backup files so that their contents can be retrieved.

Now, coming to the GFI Backup Agent, it is basically the user-side component of GFI Backup for SMB.

Apart from providing backup, restore and monitoring functions that are administered by the systems administrator, it enables the end users to set up their own backup, restore and sync tasks across their desktop workstations, laptops, servers, and external drives.

Conclusion

GFI Backup 2010 Business Edition is one of the best backup application for SMB. During the making of this review we have extensively tested almost all the functions provided by it. It ensures that your business data is secured and backed up and is also in sync. It officially works with Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 Standard/Enterprise, Windows XP. GFI Backup 2010 Business Edition supports both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the supported operating systems.

“If you are running a SMB and looking for a good and reliable backup solution, then GFI Backup 2010 Business Edition is certainly worth a look.”

For home users, GFI provides a freeware version, GFI Backup Home Edition, which you can download for free.

We previously shared a quick tip about a registry tweak using which you can disable browser choice update screen on windows. Off late, I have found a lot of people still asking how they can disable the browser choice screen in Windows.

The registry tweak was based on a knowledge base article (KB2019411) released by Microsoft, explaining how IT administrators can disable a Browser Choice screen for their users using a simple registry key. Now, you can get the same result by using the Group Policy Preferences editor and its also easier to use than the registry editor.

Note:

• If your computer is running Windows 7, the Browser Choice application removes Internet Explorer from a pinned location on the Start menu and in the taskbar.
• If you do not set Internet Explorer as your default Web browser, the Browser Choice application does not make any changes to your computer.

Use Group Policy to Disable Browser Choice

1. Press [Windows Key] + [R] to open the Run dialog box and type gpedit.msc to open Group Policy Management Console.

2. Now, navigate to Computer Configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings > Registry.
   

3. Here, right-click and create a new registry item (Registry > New > Registry Item).

4. Type Software\BrowserChoice in the Key Path then type Enable in the Value name, then select REG_DWORD as the value type 0 in the value data and then click OK.
   

5. You can then restart the computer to see that the browser choice screen does not appear again.

Microsoft has recently published an article detailing steps required to disable or remove the Browser Ballot (or Browser Choice) screen. Starting this March, the Browser Choice screen began displaying on Windows machines for European customers. If you are a regular user annoyed by it or if you are a system administrator who wants to manage the display of the Browser Choice update screen in managed personal computing environments that are under a Volume Licensing program. Then here is a solution for you all which will help you disable the Browser Choice update screen.

Update: Another way to disable browser choice screen can be found here.

How to Block/Disable Browser Choice Update Screen on Windows?

1. Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Run dialog box (Goto Start Menu > Run, or, press [ Windows Key ] + [ R ] to access the Run dialog box.)
2. Navigate to the following Registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\BrowserChoice
3. Create a new entry by right-clicking on the right pane and choosing “New DWORD“
4. Name it “Enable” and set the value to 0. This will stop displaying the Browser Choice screen. If you want to revert back, set this value to 1.

Read a brief FAQ related to the Browser Choice update (KB976002)

This article is a compilation of the 40 must have tools for any system administrator or power users. These tools are all freeware and comes very handy in those nightmarish situations to save our lives!

Picture courtesy Javier Aroche

[ Additional information courtesy Sunbelt Blog ]