Shutdown

Really? A blog on the shutdown command? Why's that then?

Because you can't remotely shutdown a Windows 8 PC over an RDP connection using the interface - you have to use shutdown. I know I know - leave it.



Force apps closed and Restart in 10 seconds ( use 0 for immediate) :
Remember this as Force a Restart in 10 seconds
shutdown /f /r /t 10 


Force apps closed and Shutdown in 10 seconds:
Remember this as Force a Shutdown in 10 seconds
shutdown /f /s /t 10


Get a nice remote shutdown GUI on the local machine for sending shutdown commands out to other machines:
shutdown /i

The shutdown command for a remote machine
shutdown /m \\machinename /f /s /t 10

How to create a photo album/link in Google+ and email it to people

Wow this is annoying.

Google obviously want everyone in the world on Google+ so that is why this is so annoying to do.

To create an album of pictures and then send the link to the album to others - who don't necessarily have Google+ - do the following.

Get the pictures into your Google+ photos area using your preferred method - Google Drive sync / Autobackup / manual upload etc

1. Login to Google+ and go to All Photos.
2. Select the pictures or videos you wish to put into an album.
3. Click Share and Enter an Album Name in the Create an album box.
4. Enter your email address in the To: box.
5. This creates an album which you can then share via a direct link.
6. Go to Albums and select the album name
7. Click the down arrow and choose sharing options
8. Locate the Share via Link and generate the link which you can then email to anyone.  They will be able to view the album without a Google+ account.

addendum

Google Apps Status page
http://www.google.co.uk/appsstatus#hl=en&v=status

Windows 8 Media Center DVD player might not work with Hyper-V services enabled

Windows 8 Media Center DVD player might not work with Hyper-V on.  While Hyper-V capability is enabled Media Center produces the following message if playing a DVD is attempted

Cannot Play DVD

The DVD may be in use by another application. If all other applications are closed, the video resolution may need to be lowered or the display connection type may not support playback of the DVD.
This occurs when Hyper-V services are activated.  Hyper-V services is the other application which is holding the DVD drive in use.  You can verify this by deactivating / reactivating Hyper-V and checking the behaviour.  To deactivate/reactivate Hyper-V carry out the following in an elevated command window:

bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off

restart the machine to apply the setting.

bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto

Notice also that this problem is not codec related because Media Center is still capable of playing any DVDs which may have been ripped to the hard drive.

I have two machines of this type but only one of them has this issue so it is likely there is another factor involved.

More on bcdedit.exe
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc709667(v=ws.10).aspx