How to change the Vista folder template?

Vista tries to determine what types of files you have in a folder and display them according to the file type. For example, if Vista thinks the files are photos, it will display them as thumbnails with columns for name, date taken, tags, etc. But sometimes it has a hard time figuring it out and uses the wrong template. You can easily change that by following these steps:

1. Right click the folder and select Properties.
2. Click the Customize tab.
3. In the drop-down box under "Use this folder type as a template," select the type of items you have in the folder (for example, Documents). You can also choose whether to apply the template to all the subfolders within the folder.

You can also set a default for all new folders to be displayed without a template by editing the registry. Here's how:

1. Start the Registry Editor
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Classes \ Local Settings \ Software Microsoft \ Windows \ Shell \ Bags
3. From the menu, click Edit > New > Key
4. Name the new key AllFolders (and keep this key selected)
5. From the menu, click Edit > New > Key
6. Name the new key Shell (and keep this key selected)
7. From the menu, click Edit > New > String Value
8. Name the new value FolderType, right-click it and choose Modify. Enter NotSpecified as the Value data
9. Close the registry editor

Microsoft Investigates PowerPoint Zero-Day Attack

Microsoft has released a security advisory for a vulnerability in some versions of PowerPoint, which has been exploited in the wild.

PowerPoint versions 2000, 2002, and 2003 are all vulnerable to attack by opening a malicious PPT file that exploits the vulnerability. Microsoft says that "limited and targeted attacks" have been seen in the wild. Office 2004 for Mac is also technically vulnerable, but an attack for it would have to be custom-written for the Mac.

As with many attacks in the past, the older Office file formats are at issue here, not the new ones. In fact, one mitigation users may take is to use MOICE (the Microsoft Office Isolated Conversion Environment), an add-on for earlier versions of Office that automatically converts old file formats into the new ones and uses them in that form. But the main advice is that not open files from untrusted sources.

If you think you may have been affected, which is unlikely because when Microsoft uses the term "limited and targeted attacks" it usually means that one or two attacks have been observes, you can scan your system with Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare safety scanner. The malicious PPT files are detected as Exploit:Win32/Apptom.gen.

How to get Vista-style "breadcrumbs" in XP?

One of the nicest new features in Vista is the "breadcrumb" view of the path in the Explorer address bar, which allows you to click on any level and go there. If you like this feature but don't want to move from XP to Vista, you can install a small application called QT address bar to give you that same functionality. Download it at
http://qttabbar.wikidot.com/qtaddressbar

First you'll need to install the .NET Framework 2.0 or later. Then run the QTAddressBar.exe file, select Install and click Next. After this, either log off and log back on or open Task Manager and do the following:

1. On the processes tab, find explorer.exe, right click and kill the process.
2. Now go to the Applications tab, click the New Task button and type explorer.exe in the Open box.
3. Right click the Toolbar and uncheck Address Bar, then check QT Breadcrumbs Address Bar.

How to use natural language search in Vista?

What's the most natural way to ask your computer to find something? By talking to it as if it were a person, right? First you need to be sure the feature is enabled. Here's how:

1. Click Start and then double click Computer.
2. In the Computer window, click Organize in the top menu and select Folder and Search Options.
3. In the Folder Options dialog box, click the Search tab.
4. In the section labeled "How to Search," make sure the box "Use natural language search" is checked and click OK.