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Love Windows Live Photo Gallery? Hate Windows Desktop Search? XP Users, You Need This Update!

Mark 'Marcus_Soperus' Soper — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:53:15 -0600

WDS, Hello? WDS, Goodbye!

Windows Desktop Search was a good idea - but it's been a very unpopular program with Windows XP users in practice, slowing down systems big-time. We chronicled how to get rid of it back in October.

It's Baaaack!

Unfortunately, Windows Live Photo Gallery, one of the components of Windows Live, automatically installs Windows Desktop Search on Windows XP systems. Windows Desktop Search, as it turns out, is used by Windows Live Photo Gallery. Ouch!

Thanks Were Premature...

The good news for WDS haters is that Microsoft announced shortly after Windows Live Photo Gallery went 'live' that you could uninstall WDS after installing an update to Windows Live Photo Gallery. The bad news is that Microsoft has now discovered that uninstalling WDS also breaks Windows Live Photo Gallery.

Send WDS Packing, and Count the Ways Windows Live Photo Gallery Breaks...

According to Knowledge Base article 946486, here's what happens to Windows Live Photo Gallery when you uninstall WDS from your Windows XP system:

On a Windows XP-based computer, uninstalling Windows Desktop Search may remove property handler registrations made by Windows Imaging Component (WIC) that are required to support photo file types in Windows Live Photo Gallery. The file name extensions that are affected include the following:

• .jpg

• .jpeg

• .png

• .tif

• .tiff

• .wdp

• .bmp

• .jfif

• .jpe

You will only see .jpg files in Windows Live Photo Gallery. Other photo files will be removed from the Windows Live Photo Gallery and will no longer be detected. Any metadata changes that could not be written to these files will be lost. These metadata changes include tags, captions, ratings, and the date that the photo taken. This issue may also prevent the Windows Live Photo Gallery from successfully reading metadata from or writing metadata to .jpg photos.

Fortunately, your picture files themselves are undamaged, but tags and other metadata you created go down the tubes.

Now Arriving (After a Short Delay...) the Solution!

Windows Update is now delivering Update for Windows Live Photo Gallery (KB 946486) to Windows XP users who use Windows Live Photo Gallery (Vista users don't use WDS, and don't need to worry about this problem). I received my update this evening. If you have Windows Update configured to automatically update your system, you probably have it now. However, if you have Windows Update configured for manual updating, be sure to check available updates and install this one.

Do The Math...Why Did a "Brand-New" Update Take Five Weeks to Arrive?

You might notice that this update seems to have kicked around in hyperspace for awhile, as the date on the KB article linked to the update (KB946486) is January 22. Why did it take over a month to get this update distributed?

As a review of posts at the microsoft.public.windows.live.photogallery newsgroup reveals, the update was originally released in late January, but didn't install properly. After being retooled, the update now installs and works properly. If you want to send WDS packing, you can do so safely after this update is installed.

The updated version of Windows Live Photo Gallery is Version 2008 (Build 12.0.1329.201).

Fall Back Fixups, SyncToy Sequel, and Other Windows News

Mark 'Marcus Soperus' Soper — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:40:48 -0500

Fall Back's Later This Year - Are You Ready?

Daylight Savings Time starts earlier and ends later this year in the US. If your Windows-based PC or mobile device muffed the 'spring forward' part of the transition, you might not have the updates installed to permit a smooth 'fall back'. Check Microsoft's Daylight Savings Time Help and Support Center to make sure your Windows-based PCs and devices are ready.

SyncToy, The Sequel

I've been using - and loving - SyncToy, the powerful free file synchronization Windows XP PowerToy for many months now. Version 1.4 works with Windows Vista, too. And, now, there's a more powerful update: SyncToy 2.0. The SyncToy 2.0 beta adds support for 64-bit Windows, file-attribute filtering, command-line support, encrypted file support, folder pair rename, and lots of other goodies to make it work harder than ever. Learn more about SyncToy's new features by reading the new SyncToy white paper (PDF format), and grab a copy of SyncToy 2.0 beta from the Downloads section of Microsoft.com. If you prefer version 1.4, it's still available here.

More About 'Forced' Windows Updates

Last week, we told you how Windows XP users were getting Windows Desktop Search 3.01 shoved at them via Windows Update, including systems that never used it before. What happened? As reported by ZDnet's Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft changed the rules for updating WDS after the original version of 3.01 was released, changing its status from update only if an older version was installed to an update everyone would receive. Microsoft says it will be making changes to this policy, and has posted methods for uninstalling WDS on the WSUS TechNet blog.

Ten Quiet Ways Windows Vista Beats Out XP

We've been pretty hard on Windows Vista lately, so it's only fair to point out ten behind-the-scenes ways that Windows Vista beats out Windows XP in usability and general coolness. Here's a sample:

- Real multithreading, so you can work with files or drives while performing other tasks
- Better information about system processes in Task Mananger.
- More control over photo viewing options.

Read the entire list at Wincustomize.com.

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Mark Soper covers the good, bad, and ugly features in Windows Vista in his new book Maximum PC Microsoft Windows Vista Exposed: an Insider's Guide to Supercharging Windows Vista. It's available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, BooksaMillion, and other fine bookstores.

Send Windows Desktop Search Packing - Now!

Mark 'Marcus Soperus' Soper — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:33:34 -0500

Back in June, Microsoft rolled out Windows Desktop Search 3.01 for Windows XP. Windows Desktop Search is designed to give Windows XP faster, smarter searches on your desktop, and also adds quick access to Microsoft's Live Search website. In our original article, XP Strikes Back with Windows Desktop Search, we suggested giving it a try.

Unfortunately, the price for this freebie was way too high: a lot of readers complained that WDS slowed computers running it to a crawl. In the comments for the original article (see link above), we told you how to boot WDS off your system if you didn't like it.

Now Microsoft Says, "You Will Like It" - and Means It

So, what's Microsoft been up to since June? WDS is still at version 3.01, so it's still slowing down systems. But, like a store that pushes unwanted merchandise out the door with a "buy one, get one free" ad, Microsoft is now shoving WDS at unwilling users with Windows Update. Fortunately, WDS isn't on the list of high-priority updates. Technically, it's an optional software update. However, if your system's configured for the default update setting, Automatic (which downloads and installs everything Windows Update offers you), guess whose Windows XP box will be slowed down next? Yours!

Curse of the Undead Updates

Getting rid of WDS was pretty simple when you installed it yourself (it can usually be uninstalled with Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel). Unfortunately, getting rid of WDS or other programs installed automatically by Windows Update is like playing "Whack-a-Mole, Redmond Edition" - and you don't even get any game tickets.

Uninstall an update provided by Windows Update - and the next time you run Windows Update, it's baaaaack! So, you need to take a multi-pronged approach to blocking any unwanted updates.

Telling Microsoft to "Take That Update and Shove It" - Part 1

If Windows Update hasn't installed WDS yet - good! To keep WDS or other updates you might not want from being installed automatically, open the Automatic Updates icon in Control Panel and make sure the Automatic option (default) is not selected. I use the "Download updates for me" option, but you might prefer the "Notify me" option instead. Either way, you're in control of what gets installed - as long as you also change how you run Windows Update.

Telling Microsoft to "Take That Update and Shove It" - Part 2

Disabling Automatic updates is only half the battle. Regardless of your update settings, if you click the Express button when you run Windows Update, both High-Priority and Optional updates are installed with no chance for you to say, "no way do I want that update!" Instead, click Custom to give yourself the option to say no.

Telling Microsoft to "Take That Update and Shove It" - the Final Chapter

After you click Custom, click the Software, Optional category in the left pane. Clear the checkbox next to Windows Desktop Search so it won't be installed. To prevent it from showing up as a suggested update in the future, click the plus sign to expand the listing. Click the empty checkbox 'Don't show this update again.' Close Windows Update, and the next time you run it, WDS won't be around to bother you anymore. Remember, you can always use the Restore Hidden Updates option if you change your mind.

Disabling WDS

If you're reading this after installing WDS, cheer up. You can uninstall it or disable it, and then use the preceding sections to prevent it from being reinstalled by Windows Update. WDS runs as a service, so you can disable it by using the Microsoft Management Console:

1. Right-click My Computer
2. Select Manage
3. Click Services and Applications
4. Click Services
5. Scroll down to Windows Desktop Search in the list of services.
6. Right-click it and select Properties.
7. On the General tab, click Stop.
8. Open the Startup type and select Disabled.
9. Click OK.

You can also uninstall it through Add/Remove Programs (as long as you don't remove the uninstall folder). However, if that doesn't work, Microsoft wizard Scott Hanselman suggests a little Regedit magic to to bring back Rover and the rest of the classic XP search gang.