Erroneous device driver update is harmful to your computer

Today, I installed an optional Windows 7 update called "NextWindow - Input - NextWindow Voltron Touch Screen" found in the Windows Update listing. This update is related to my Dell SX2210T touch screen LCD monitor.

After the update, I noticed there was unusual CPU activity causing its temperature shot up to over 70 degree Celcius. All the 4 CPU cores were in high usage.

I checked it up with Task Manager and found out the culprit was a process called TouchScreenTools.exe.

As the CPU usage continuously remained high and the CPU temperature also stayed at high level, I decided to undo this problemistic Windows update.

I opened the Device Manager by right clicking on Computer in the Start Menu and select Properties to bring out the Control Panel, and click on Device Manager in the left menu.

In the Device Manager, I managed to find "NextWindow Voltron Touch Screen" inside Human Interface Devices.

Right click on it and select Properties will bring out its Properties window. There is a "Roll Back Driver" button inside the Driver tab.

After clicking the "Roll Back Driver" button, there is a confirmation window, click "Yes" and restart Windows will roll back the driver to its previously installed version.

After the driver roll back, the CPU is now back to normal, with temperature back to below 50 degree Celcius.

In order to prevent future update of this erroneous driver, I went to Windows Update, right click on "NextWindow - Input - NextWindow Voltron Touch Screen" and hide it out.

If you also have a Dell SX2210T touch screen monitor and see this optional Windows update, remember not to select it. You might also want to hide it out from the Windows update listing.

Moon+ Reader Pro for Android is giving 50% discount

Moon+ Reader is a popular e-book reader app for Android which is feature-rich and supports a lot of e-book format including txt, html, epub, pdf, mobi, umd, fb2, chm, cbr, cbz, rar, zip and OPDS.

Recently, a compliant from a Russian online library LitRes to Google had caused Moon+ Reader (both free and Pro version) being removed from Google Play Store, just because Moon+ Reader supports the Open Publication Distribution System (OPDS) Catalog format that is also used by certain pirate online libraries.

Anyhow, Moon+ Reader appealed to Google and finally relisted on Google Play Store. To celebrate this recovery to Google Play Store, it is now offering a 50% discount to its Pro version (selling price reduced from US$4.99 to US$2.50) from now onwards until end of February 2013.

I have been using Moon+ Reader free for quite some times. To show my support to them, I have made a purchase to Moon+ Reader Pro at this discounted price.

If you are looking for a good e-book reader for your Android smartphone or tablet, I would recommend you to try out Moon+ Reader free. If you like it, you can purchase the ad-free and feature richer Moon+ Reader Pro before this 50% discount offer expire.

How to put tick and cross in MS Excel

While working with MS Excel, sometimes you might want to mark a cell with a tick or cross. You can do that with either of these 2 fonts: Webdings and Wingdings 2.

Set the font of the cell(s) to Webdings, you can put a tick by typing the character "a", and putting a cross by typing the character "r".

Alternatively, set the font of the cell(s) to Wingdings 2, you  put a tick by typing the character "P", and putting a cross by typing the character "O".

You might want to share this trick with your friends, classmates or colleagues.