I wanted to add some controls to my Toolbox in Visual Studio 2008 SP1 IDE.  I right mouse click on the Toolbox and select Choose Items...   It crashed the system.  I did a goolge search and it suggested removing Power Toys.  I checked and my Power Toys were already removed.

I found another suggestion.  Start Visual Studio in safemode and try to add the controls.  To start in Safemode, get to a Visual 2008 command prompt (Programs->Microsoft Visual Studio 2008->Visual Studio Tools->Visual Studio 2008 Command Prompt).  At the command line enter: devenv /safemode.

While in SafeMode, I added the controls.  They did NOT show up in the toolbox; however, when I restarted VS 2008 "normally," the commands apppeared in the Toolbox.

Here is the link where I found the solution: http://forums.asp.net/p/1222006/2570302.aspx#2570302

After experiencing other difficulties following the aftermath of my Vista Service Pack 2 failed install, I decided to restore to a computer backup I had made about a month before.  (Vista Ultimate has this feature.)  I booted up, tapped the F8 key, and executed the “Repair Your Computer.”  I then selected the restore from computer backup option.  It worked like a charm.  In less than an hour, I was back up and running, plus I picked up about 20 GB in disk space!

I then wanted to restore my files from a file backup I had done a few days previously.  Since I had already restored from a computer backup, the file backup became “confused” because the information about my last file backup was wiped out during the computer backup.   Hence, I could not easily restore my latest files from my file backup because the computer could not find the latest backup set on my backup drive.  Fortunately, before performing the computer restore, I manually copied my important files to an external hard drive.  Therefore, instead of continuing to play with the file restore, I manually restored my important files.

When I now perform my backups, I will do the Backup Files procedure first, followed by the Backup Computer procedure.  That way if I have to restore from the computer backup, the information about the latest file backup will be there.

Here is another Vista feature.  I was having trouble with my internet connection, so I rebooted my PC.  During the boot process I received this error message: Windows could not connect to the System Event Notification Service service.  My PC finishes booting and my wireless network connection is down and cannot be brought back up.

Fortunately, judging from the number of hits when performing a google search, the problem and fix are well known.  I will repeat the fix here.

1) Start -> All Programs -> Accessories (folder) -> Command Prompt

2) Right Mouse Click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator

3) At the command prompt enter:  NETSH WINSOCK RESET CATALOG 

4) Hit return

5) Reboot computer.

For more information, check out these links:  http://carbonize.co.uk/wp/2009/02/15/system-event-notification-service-not-starting-on-vista/   and  http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=313388

• Here is great link from John Sheehan's blog on formatting strings.
  
  
• How to get the absolute value:  Math.Abs(CInt(Textbox1.Text))
  

• How to include Find Combo from Standard Toolbar in Visual Studio 2008

In my Visual Studio IDE, the Find Combo box disappeared from my Standard Toolbar.  Here is how you get it back.

1) Right Click the Standard Toolbar
2) Select Customize ...
3) Drag and drop the "Edit | Go To Find Combo" from the "Commands" tab to the Standard Toolbar

• Problem with DataGridView automatically adding columns from DataSource during design time.
  

Fix: Clear the DataSource property for the DataGridView.  Add the DataSource back if you want to add columns.  Check out this link for some background information.  Here is where I found out about the fix.