The new Windows 7 beta release just like Vista preview releases before it incorporate some additional UI elements meant for testers to submit feedback back to Microsoft.
Now considering you may be running this Beta 1 release as your main OS for some reasonone of those elements in particular can become annoying and obtrusive to your otherwise neat configured desktop.
Here’s how to remove the Send Feedback link:
(1) Run the Registry Editor (type regedit on the start run menu)
(2) Browse to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
(3) If it’s not already there, add a new DWORD (32-bit) value “FeedbackToolEnabled” and set its data field to 0.
(4) The change should take effect on your next restart.
Bashing Vista for whatever reason you can imagine seems to be the most hip thing to do nowadays, and while a post with my take on Vista is on its way.
Note that not all external drives should be having this kind of problem, however when u upgraded from XP and wanted to get access to my Maxtor Shared Storage Plus external drive, the Maxtor utilities simply refused to communicate with the drive. As a side note, the drive we are talking about is a networked drive a.k.a. Network-attached storage (not USB). Also Maxtor was acquired by Seagate last year, so my almost brand new 500gb drive receives limited support for the rest of its life span.
Now, the problem and its solution…
Windows Vista defaults to allow only NTLMv2 authentication on a network for increased security, and the Maxtor Shared Storage drives do not work with this type of authentication (that’s why only Public areas were accessible). The solution is to enable LM and NTLM authentications on the network to get full access back.
1.Click on Start and on the command/search field, enter secpol.msc
2.This will open the Local Security Policy app. Now on the left menu go to Local Policies > Security Options.
3.On the right pane, scroll down to Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level and double click it.
4.On the Local Security Setting tab you should see a drop down menu with options. Choose “Send LM & NTLM รข€“ use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated.” Accept all dialogs and restart.
5.That should do the trick (on Vista Ultimate).
Because the Home editions of Vista do not include the Local Security Policy utility, on those machines you will need to edit a setting in the registry. If you follow the instructions exactly there should be nothing to be worried about:
1.Click on Start and on the command/search field, enter regedit.
2.This will open the Registry Editor. Now browse on the left pane to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > Lsa.
3.That should show a bunch of settings on the right pane, select LmCompatibilityLevel (double-click it).
