What good is new TTS voice if you are unable to select?

Some people purchase new Text-to-Speech voices to spice up their home automation or screen reader. Or they just want a divorce of Sam or Anna. Regardless, one of the problems when moving to 64-bit Windows is, those voices designed for 32-bit system can't be selected!

Loss of investment? Not yet! While it's true that 64-bit applications can't use those voices, and 64-bit Control Panel Speech Applet can't see them, the 32-bit applet can set one of those as the default voice for 32-bit applications. On Server 2008 R2, its at C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Speech\SpeechUX\sapi.cpl.

Sometimes Microsoft Anna may insist to stay with you. She will if you have used TTS in any 64-bit application.

Now, what if you use TTS in JScript or VBScript in Windows Script Host? Simply run the script in the 32-bit version of wscript.exe or cscript.exe in C:\Windows\SysWOW64.

Where is Windows Calendar?

One of the useful applications removed in Windows 7/Server 2008 R2 is the Windows Calendar. I especially missed it because I never want any email/calendar bundle like Windows Live Mail. Here is how to get it back:

• Copy the Windows Calendar program folder from an earlier Windows installation to your new Windows 7/Server 2008 R2
• Optionally import your existing iCalendar (.ics) file.

Easy! Isn't it? Now to get the reminder feature to work:

• Create a WindowsCalendar folder in C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows (or whereever that is in your install)
• Set the security on that folder to NOT inherit but add existing parent permissions, and to allow Authenticated Users to create files/folders, write attributes/extended attributes, and read permissions.
• Optionally remove the permissions for Local Service and Network Service, and to change the owner to SYSTEM

Done!