How to info & News.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

I covered a post on extracting colors from websites. But what if you want to extract colors from an image? CSS Drive’s Image to Colors Palette Generator is a free online service that lets you generate colors pallete instantly. You can either upload the image from your computer or enter an image link. Only png, .gif, .jpg and .jpeg images are supported and they must not be bigger than 1MB in size.

colors pallete generator upload

I uploaded a very unique multicolored art image, the end results were astonishing.

Just move your mouse over any color and you will see it’s Hex number which you can use in art, web development or simply for inspiration. It’s great tool but unfortunately it only supports 1MB image maximum, perhaps the developer can increase the limit since most images these days are heavier in size. To use this tool you will have to compress the image first and then upload it.

It also generates Photoshop swatches and CSS stylesheet, just navigate all the way to bottom and you will find their links respectively.

generate css and aco

File Hosting providers such as MegaUpload and Rapidshare have time limits for non-premium users which is pretty much annoying. You have to wait for 30 seconds to 50 seconds sometimes before you can actually start downloading a file.

MUBundle is a free add-on for Firefox that removes the time limit from MegaUpload by auto skipping it. Apart from skipping the time limit it also downloads the file automatically by clicking the Download button for you.

First install this add-on and visit MegaUpload link to download any file. You will be shown Capacha, which you will have to enter in order to complete the process, then it will automatically skip the time limit and download the file for you automatically without any further action from the user.

megaupload skip time limit

It has been tested by multiple users and works great on my side too. This add-on has been marked as experimental which means that you will have to register before you are able to install it. Registration is free and only take a few seconds. Enjoy!

Someone sends you an image of an Alien and says it’s an original shot. How will you know whether the image is original or fake? Photo Editors such as Photoshop, Gimp, etc have become so advanced that you can hardly distinguish between a real and fake photo.

JPEGSnoop is a free portable tool that lets you know whether the image is fake or not. Apart from it, it also displays the complete details of an image such as which camera and settings were used.

Just load the image and it will display the result instantly in a text editor like interface. To check whether an image is fake or not, go all the way to the bottom and you will find it there.

jpeg snoop - checking fake photos 2

It works by comparing the image against a large number of compression signatures in the internal database. This helps in determining what digital camera or software was likely used to generate the image. It supports various formats such as JPEG, THM, DNG, PDF, CRW, CR2, NEF, ORF, PEF, AVI, MOV, etc. To see the full list of features, visit the developer’s website. Enjoy!

What is .DS_Store?

.DS_Store, which stands for Desktop Services Store is a hidden file created in every local folder in Mac OS X. This file stores custom attributes such as position of folder icons and the choice of background colors. By default it will be created in every local folder accessed by Mac OS X.

Since it is hidden, it’s not a big problem through, it acts a bit similar to Thumb.db which is created automatically in every folder in Windows Operating System. Removing .DS_Store and Thumb.db is OK since they are not system files.

The question is why to remove .DS_Store when it is hidden in Mac OS X operating systems? When you copy any folder from Mac to your Windows OS, these files become visible and annoying.

Removing .DS_Store and Thumb.db

Copy Folder From Mac to Windows = .DB_Store will become visible and annoying
Copy Folder From Windows to Mac = Thumb.db will become visible and annoying

FolderWasher is a free tool for both Windows And Mac operating systems that removes .DB_Store and Thumb.db files from the folders instantly.

Jus drag and drop the folders that you want to clean in this tool and it will handle the rest itself.

folderwasher main

After you drag the folders, it will ask you for a few options, select the desired action and click Wash.

delete thumb.db file Listed below are are some features of this tool:

Deletes all files whose name begin with period of a given folder
Ability to Zip compress the washed folder
Ability to delete ‘Thumb.db’ files on Macintosh
Ability to create on the fly a list of files that should not be deleted, like “.htaccess” files
Very easy to use with its friendly interface

Drop Command from DonationCoder is a free portable tool that allows user to copy file location to the Command Prompt. Instead of manually typing the location of a file, simply drag the file to the Command Prompt and it’s location will be written automatically. If you are a heavy Command Prompt user, then this will come really handy since it can save both time and headache.

Just run the tool and it will load in the system tray, now drag & drop any file to the Command Prompt and it’s location will copy automatically.

copy-file-to-command-prompt

As you can see in the screenshot above, the location of the file copied automatically to the command prompt. This is possible with any type of file, even executable files. Enjoy!

XP And Below:
1.) Go to start->run.
2.) Type in "cmd" without the quotes.
3.) At the command prompt type "ipconfig /flushdns" again without quotes.

Vista:
1.) Click on start->All Programs->Accessories
2.) Right click on the command prompt and pick run as administrator.
3.) At the command prompt type "ipconfig /flushdns" no quotes.

Linux:
1.) Open a root terminal or use sudo (in ubuntu or similar systems) with the following command:
- "/etc/rc.d/init.d/nscd restart" (without quotes)

Mac OSX Leopard:
1.) Use the following command in a terminal window:
- "dscacheutil -flushcache" (without quotes)

Mac OSX 10.5.1 and before:
1.) Use the following command in a terminal window:
- "lookupd -flushcache" (without quotes)

You may need to restart your browser.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Boot to DOS MODE

0.Type Debug and press enter
1.At the "-" prompt type A and then enter
2.Type MOV AX, 0301 then enter
3.Type MOV BX, 0020 then enter
4.Type MOV CX, 0001 then enter
5.Type MOV DX, 0080 then enter
6.Type INT13 then enter
7.Press enter again
8.Type G and then Enter

This procedure will destroy all data on the drive, as well as all partitions

Requirements :

1) Winrar
2) Universal Extractor :

Download Universal Extractor From Here: http://www.rapidshare.com/files/195607924/uniextract16.exe

Step1) First take the set up file of the software that you want to make portable. Here I am taking Mozilla Firefox set up file.

Step2) Now install both Winrar and Universal Extractor.

Step3) Now put the set up file in a folder say Gagan. Now right click on the set up file and select UniExtract to Subdir.

Step4) This will extract all the dll files and some folders along with the executable (exe) file. In my case the name of the exe file is setup.exe but it depends upon the software so in your case it will be different. Just copy the whole name along with the extension i.e setup.exe

Step5) Now press Ctrl+A and select all the extracted files and folders and right click on it and select Add to archive.

Step6) Now when you will click on Add to archive a new window will open, its Winrar application. In the right side in General tab put a tick on Create SFX Archive.

Step7) Now go to Advance tab at the top and click on SFX Options.

In the Set Up Program in Run After Extraction enter the name of the file along with the extension that your copied in Step 4 i.e setup.exe

Step8) Do not press OK yet, there is a job left. In the top bar click on Modes and put a tick on Unpack to temporary folder and also check on Hide All and now press OK to close SFX Options window and press OK again to close Winrar window.

Step9) When you will click OK second time, Winrar will create a file and this is your portable application.

The portable software will look something like this :

Congrats !! You have successfully created a portable application within no time.

This is for webpage creators.

Insert this Java Script coding in your page.

One common registry scenario is to make a change to Windows XP using a tool such as the Group Policy Editor or Tweak UI, and then try to find which registry setting (if any) was affected by the change. However, because of the sheer size of the registry, this is usually a needle-in-a-haystack exercise that ends in frustration. One way around this is to export some or all of the registry before making the change and then export the same key or keys after making the change. You can then use the FC (file compare) utility at the command prompt to find out where the two files differ. Here’s the FC syntax to use for this:

FC /U pre_edit.reg post-edit.reg > reg_changes.txt

Here, change pre_edit.reg to the name of the registration file you exported before editing the registry; change post_edit.reg to the name of the registration file you exported after editing the registry; and change reg_changes.txt to the name of a text file to which the FC output is redirected. Note that the /U switch is required because registration files use the Unicode character set.

Instead of deleting reg files the manual way one can create reg files to do that job without having to get ones hands dirty digging through all those registry entries.

Warning
Deleting reg keys indescriminately can and often leads to an inoperable system. Use with caution

To delete a setting using a .reg file, set its value to a hyphen (-), as in this example:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Test]"BinarySetting"=-
To delete a key, add a hyphen to the start of the key name, as in this example:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Test]

Remember these commands are to be typed in a text file first and then saved as a .reg file.

Clear History Of Recently Opened Documents On Exit Enable this policy to clear the My Recent Documents list at shutdown.
This is equivalent to setting the following registry value to 1:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Group Policy Objects\LocalUser\Software\Microsoft\Windows
\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ClearRecentDocsO nExit

1. Enable pipelining
Browsers are normally very polite, sending a request to a server then waiting for a response before continuing. Pipelining is a more aggressive technique that lets them send multiple requests before any responses are received, often reducing page download times. To enable it, type about:config in the address bar, double-click network.http.pipelining and network.http.proxy.pipelining so their values are set to true, then double-click network.http.pipelining.maxrequests and set this to 8.

Keep in mind that some servers don't support pipelining, though, and if you regularly visit a lot of these then the tweak can actually reduce performance. Set network.http.pipelining and network.http.proxy.pipelining to false again if you have any problems.

2. Render quickly
Large, complex web pages can take a while to download. Firefox doesn't want to keep you waiting, so by default will display what it's received so far every 0.12 seconds (the "content notify interval"). While this helps the browser feel snappy, frequent redraws increase the total page load time, so a longer content notify interval will improve performance.

Type about:config and press [Enter], then right-click (Apple users ctrl-click) somewhere in the window and select New > Integer. Type content.notify.interval as your preference name, click OK, enter 500000 (that's five hundred thousand, not fifty thousand) and click OK again.

Right-click again in the window and select New > Boolean. This time create a value called content.notify.ontimer and set it to True to finish the job.

3. Faster loading
If you haven't moved your mouse or touched the keyboard for 0.75 seconds (the content switch threshold) then Firefox enters a low frequency interrupt mode, which means its interface becomes less responsive but your page loads more quickly. Reducing the content switch threshold can improve performance, then, and it only takes a moment.

Type about:config and press [Enter], right-click in the window and select New > Integer. Type content.switch.threshold, click OK, enter 250000 (a quarter of a second) and click OK to finish.

4. No interruptions
You can take the last step even further by telling Firefox to ignore user interface events altogether until the current page has been downloaded. This is a little drastic as Firefox could remain unresponsive for quite some time, but try this and see how it works for you.

Type about:config, press [Enter], right-click in the window and select New > Boolean. Type content.interrupt.parsing, click OK, set the value to False and click OK.

5. Block Flash
Intrusive Flash animations are everywhere, popping up over the content you actually want to read and slowing down your browsing. Fortunately there's a very easy solution. Install the Flashblock extension (flashblock.mozdev.org) and it'll block all Flash applets from loading, so web pages will display much more quickly. And if you discover some Flash content that isn't entirely useless, just click its placeholder to download and view the applet as normal.

6. Increase the cache size
As you browse the web so Firefox stores site images and scripts in a local memory cache, where they can be speedily retrieved if you revisit the same page. If you have plenty of RAM (2 GB of more), leave Firefox running all the time and regularly return to pages then you can improve performance by increasing this cache size. Type about:config and press [Enter], then right-click anywhere in the window and select New > Integer. Type browser.cache.memory.capacity, click OK, enter 65536 and click OK, then restart your browser to get the new, larger cache.

7. Enable TraceMonkey
TraceMonkey is a new Firefox feature that converts slow Javascript into super-speedy x86 code, and so lets it run some functions anything up to 20 times faster than the current version. It's still buggy so isn't available in the regular Firefox download yet, but if you're willing to risk the odd crash or two then there's an easy way to try it out.
Install the latest nightly build (

), launch it, type about:config in the address bar and press Enter. Type JIT in the filter box, then double-click javascript.options.jit.chrome and javascript.options.jit.content to change their values to true, and that's it - you're running the fastest Firefox Javascript engine ever.

ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/nightly/latest-trunk/

8. Compress data
If you've a slow internet connection then it may feel like you'll never get Firefox to perform properly, but that's not necessarily true. Install toonel.net (toonel.net) and this clever Java applet will re-route your web traffic through its own server, compressing it at the same time, so there's much less to download. And it can even compress JPEGs by allowing you to reduce their quality. This all helps to cut your data transfer, useful if you're on a limited 1 GB-per-month account, and can at best double your browsing performance.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

When I try to shut down Windows, it hangs at the "Saving Settings" screen. Why can't Windows even handle a simple shutdown?

Every time you shut down your PC, Windows attempts to close all running applications, stop all active services, and unload all drivers in memory. If just one of these components stops responding, Windows will wait until it can be closed successfully. As you can probably guess, all it takes is one crashed program or one stubborn driver to prevent Windows from shutting down.

The most common culprit is a power management bug found in many PCs. If you ever put your PC to "sleep" by pressing the power switch or closing the laptop lid, Windows may not be able to complete a formal shutdown thereafter. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about this, other than checking your PC manufacturer's web site for a BIOS update.

If you never hibernate or sleep your PC, the problem may be spyware which can be adequately described as "stubborn"that refuses to be unloaded.

If an antispyware scan doesn't solve the problem, the errant program is likely a legitimate software component, and it may take a bit of sleuthing to track it down. Close all open applications, and then right-click an empty area of the Windows Taskbar. From the menu that appears, select Task Manager. Then choose the Processes tab to see a list all the programs running on your PC, including those running in the background; click the Image Name column header to sort the list alphabetically (see Figure).

Note: For an alternative to the Task Manager that allows you to see the full paths of the processes in memory, fire up the System Information tool (go to Start --> Run and type msinfo32.exe), expand the Software Environment branch on the tree, and select Running Tasks.

Your goal: find the programs that are causing your shutdown problem. Although the Task Manager won't give you this information directly, it will let you close almost any running program, one by one. Any program that you close with the End Process button in the Task Manager won't be running when you shut down, and thus can't prevent Windows from shutting down properly.

(This isn't foolproof, but it works pretty well most of the time.) Most of the programs listed in the Task Manager's Processes tab are Windows components necessary for the operating system to function (e.g., csrss.exe, inetinfo.exe, rundll32.exe, svchost.exe, winlogon.exe, etc.); the rest are either applications you've started or malware (viruses, spyware, etc.). A few processes will be self-explanatory, such as explorer.exe and firefox.exe, but odds are that you'll recognize very few others. So how do you tell the difference between the good processes and the bad?

The best way to research a particular process is to look up the filename in an online database of "known" processes, such as Windows process and task list. If you need more information, search for the filename with Google. However, there are two big complications that make identifying your running processes more difficult.

First, some forms of malware use the same filenames as common Windows components to disguise themselves. For instance, csrss.exe is the main executable for the Microsoft Client/Server Runtime Server Subsystem, a Windows component, but it also can be a virus (the W32.Netsky.AB@mm worm or the W32.Webus Trojan, specifically). The good news is that such
ambiguities are almost always chronicled in the online process databases.

Note: Rather than trying to painstakingly distinguish valid processes from Trojan horses, just scan your system with trusted antivirus and antispyware utilities. If the shutdown problem persists once that's out of the way, odds are that the culprit is nothing more than a valid yet misbehaving driver or application.

The other complication is that some entries in the Task Manager's Processes list are simply loader programs for background processes. Case in point: each instance of svchost.exe corresponds to a running service, but the Task Manager won't tell you which ones are which; all you'll see are multiple entries labeled svchost.exe. To see which services are running, and to stop, restart, or configure any services on your system, go to Start --> Run, type services.msc, and click OK.

When you've closed a handful of suspect programs, go ahead and shut down (or restart) Windows. If Windows shuts down normally, one of the programs you just closed was indeed the cause of the problem. Try updating or uninstalling the offending program or driver, and your shutdown problems should vanish.

There's a virus-infected file on my hard disk that I can't delete, so I'm trying to use the Windows Recovery Console to excise it. But the WRC apparently will only let me delete files in the root directory and in c:\Windows. What gives?

The WRC does more than repair master boot records; it provides access to the files on your hard disk when Windows isn't running, allowing you to copy, delete, or rename them as you see fit. However, it won't let you do this until you release a
restriction that's in place by default.

Return to Windows, go to Start --> Run, type secpol.msc, and press Enter to start the Local Security Settings editor. Navigate to \Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options in the tree on the left, and double-click the "Recovery Console: Allow floppy copy and access to all drives and all folders" entry on the right. Select Enabled, and click OK.

Next, return to the WRC and type: set AllowAllPaths = true

Make sure to include the spaces before and after the equals sign, and press Enter. Thereafter, you can delete any file in any folder. Although the change you made in the Local Security Settings is permanent, you'll have to issue the above set command once each time you use the WRC.

You may have noticed a Catch-22 of sorts in this fix. If Windows won't boot and you're using the WRC to effect repairs, you won't be able to release the Local Security Settings restriction. In this case, you'll either have to live without the ability to delete files in other folders, or install a second copy of Windows XP on another partition and delete the file from there.

Windows just won't finish loading. I stare at the Windows logo for what seems like an eternity, and then the pulsating progress bar stops pulsating. That's it; Windows never loads. What's going on?

When Windows boots, it loads all of its drivers, initializes its network connections, and loads its high-level components (Explorer, fonts, etc.) into memory. These things are loaded in order; if one task cannot complete because of a corrupted file or network error, for instance the next task cannot begin and the boot process stalls.

Note: If you're running off a battery, plug your laptop into its charger and wait for about 20 minutes for the battery to accumulate sufficient charge to start Windows.

If the problem started happening as soon as you added a new hardware device, check the device manufacturer's web site for a driver or BIOS update. Otherwise, first unplug your network cable and try again. If Windows loads, there's something wrong with your network connection, Internet connection, router, or whatever else is on the other end of that cable.

Still stuck? Unplug all the USB and FireWire devices connected to your PC. If Windows loads, reconnect them one by one, restarting Windows after each reconnection, until you find the culprit that hangs the system. Really stuck? Start disconnecting any non-USB peripherals (e.g., keyboard, mouse, parallel printer) attached to your PC and, if necessary/applicable, PCI or PCMCIA cards and any other nonessential devices inside your PC. If the above steps don't work, there may be a problem with your hard disk but if you're getting as far as the Windows logo, it's probably not too serious. To investigate, restart your computer, and just after the beep but before the Windows logo appears, press the F8 key. From the Windows Advanced Options Menu, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode, and press Enter.

Safe Mode allows Windows to load without network support, hardware drivers, some services, and a handful of other components that can sometimes cause this problem. If Safe Mode works, open Windows Explorer, right-click your hard disk (e.g., drive c, select Properties, and choose the Tools tab. In the "Error-checking" section, click the Check Now button. Check the boxes next to both options in the "Check disk" section and click the Start button, and ScanDisk will open and check your drive for errors. When it's finished, restart Windows normally.

I turned on my computer this morning, and all I got was a black screen and the rather unhelpful message "Operating system not found" in little white letters. Is my PC trying to tell me that my hard disk has crashed?

When you turn on your PC, the first thing it does after completing its Power On Self
Test (POST) is to scan your hard disk for something called a master boot record (MBR), a pointer to a program on your hard disk that tells your PC which partition contains your operating system.

This error message means that your PC can't find Windows XP's boot information, because the MBR is corrupt, the entry for Windows in the MBR is absent or corrupt, or any of a half-dozen other reasons. But don't panic the solution is often a simple one.
First, eject any disks from your PC's floppy and CD drives, and then reboot. Some computers check these drives for boot information before moving on to your hard disk, and display the above error message if no boot records are detected.

If that doesn't help, determine whether your PC is detecting your hard disk at all. During the self-test, your PC displays a bunch of information about your system, including details about the processor, memory, and hard disks. (Many new PCs display a large logo while this is happening, but you can usually hide the logo and display this information by pressing the Esc key.) If the screen blows by too quickly, or you don't see any hard disk information, enter your system BIOS setup screen, and peruse the information there.

If your hard disk typically identified by manufacturer and model number is not listed, your PC is not detecting it. There are about 50 things that can cause this problem, but it's often nothing more than a bad data cable. Crack open your PC's case, and make sure the IDE, SATA, or SCSI cable connecting your hard disk to the motherboard is firmly attached at both ends. If the problem persists, replace the cable with a brand new one. You could also unplug every drive other than your hard disk (e.g., CD and DVD drives, Zip and tape drives, etc.) to see if one of them is causing the problem.

If your PC is detecting your hard disk but Windows still won't load, fire up the Windows Recovery Console (WRC) and attempt repairs there. To get into the WRC, insert your Windows XP CD in your CD drive and turn on your computer.

After Setup loads all of its drivers, press the R key to start the Windows Recovery Console. When the WRC starts, you'll see a screen titled "Windows NT™ Boot Console Command Interpreter." If you're asked "Which Windows installation would you like to logon to," type the number next to your Windows XP folder (usually 1…c:\Windows), and then type your administrator password. Once you've logged in, the WRC looks and feels a lot like the Windows Command Prompt (a.k.a. DOS), but it supports only a handful of DOS commands.

At the prompt, type dir and press Enter to display a listing of the files and folders in the root folder of your hard disk (usually c:\). If you see a bunch of garbage characters or you get a strange error, stop immediately and take your hard disk to a data recovery expert.

Otherwise, if the listing looks normal (i.e., you see the WINDOWS and Program Files folders), type fixmbr and press Enter. Then type fixboot and press Enter. When the two commands finish, press Ctrl-Alt-Del to restart your computer and see if Windows loads properly.

If Windows still won't boot, your hard disk needs more help than I can provide.

If your drive contains any valuable data, try a recovery utility such as SpinRite or, if you don't want to risk doing more damage, take it to a data recovery expert and hope for the best.

Warning: Checking your hard disk for signs of corruption is a crucial step. If you continue and attempt repairs on a corrupt drive, you may irreparably damage data that otherwise might be recoverable. Windows Setup actually provides another, easier- to-use feature (an alternative to the WRC) entitled "Repair an existing installation," but it's a poor choice because it doesn't let you check for corruption before effecting repairs.

I'm a holdout, still using good ol' Windows 98 on my everyday PCâ€¦ but I'm finally getting tired of the crashing, and I'd like to try Windows XP without committing to it. Can I install Windows XP on my machine without losing Windows 98?

Absolutely just use the dual-boot feature built into Windows XP. With a dual-boot (or
multiboot) setup, you can install multiple operating systems side by side on the same computer and simply choose which one to use each time you boot.

Windows 98 doesn't explicitly support a dual-boot configuration, but it doesn't have to. The key is to install Windows XP last, so that its boot manager (installed automatically with Windows XP) can accommodate both your existing operating system and the new one.

Setting up a dual-boot system is easy, but it's not necessarily intuitive. First, you must install XP into a different folder or drive than the one your current version occupies. So, if Windows 98 is installed in c:\windows, you'll need to put Windows XP in something like c:\winxp or d:\windows.(If you're installing XP over another OS that has its own boot manager, such as Windows 2000 or Unix, you'll have to use a different drive for each operating system.)

Note: Already using Windows XP, and want to try out Windows Vista? When setting up any multiboot PC, always install earlier operating systems first, followed by more recent versions. Typically, the boot manager included with the last operating system
installed is the one that is used.

Note: don't install Windows XP from within your current version of Windows, or Setup will perform an upgrade, and you'll lose Windows 98. Instead, boot off your XP CD, and follow the instructions on screen to complete the installation. When Setup detects your existing Windows installation, it will give you the option of upgrading it or installing XP into a different folder or drive.

If, at the end of the installation, Windows XP is the only operating system on your computer, it will boot automatically without giving you a choice. Otherwise, you'll see a menu of installed operating systems each time you boot, from which you can choose the OS you wish to use for that session.

Note: If you don't want the hassle associated with a dual-boot sytem, or if you want to install many different versions of Windows, you can use a program like Microsoft VirtualPC. Instead of separate partitions, you create multiple hard disk images (resizable files on your hard disk), and then launch VirtualPC and install the operating sytems to those images from within your version of Windows. Although there's a performance hit, it's the only way to run multiple versions of Windows on the same PC simultaneously.

I've read that only reinstalling Windows can resolve some problems, and I'm wondering whether or not I have a Windows CD. All I can find is something called a "restore disc." Is this the same thing?

Probably not. Due to licensing restrictions, and in order to save a few cents, many PC
manufacturers do not include original Windows CDs with their computers. The good news is that some manufacturers will send you a Windows CD if you ask; you did pay for it, after all. Some companies require a modest shipping fee; others, not so modest. But odds are that your PC vendor will refuse your request outright. In this case, eBay is a good source for inexpensive XP CDs, or, if you want to pay full price, you can go to any software retailer. Just make sure you get a valid, legal copy complete with an official certificate of authenticity and CD key whether it's used
or new.

In most cases, the recovery CD included with your PC is good for one thing: wiping your hard disk clean and filling it with all the software that was included with the machine when it was new.

Unless you're preparing to sell your computer, this isn't usually a practical choice.

Recovery CDs do typically have a few things your ordinary Windows XP CD lacks, though: namely, drivers for all the hardware that came with your PC, along with the crummy applications that came preinstalled on your system. You probably haven't given much thought to these drivers, since they were preinstalled on your computer, but unless you want to wipe your hard disk each time you need to solve a hardware problem you'd be wise to build yourself a separate driver CD, from which you can easily install individual drivers.

First, visit your PC manufacturer's web site, and download all the latest drivers for your PC. Make sure you get your video, network, wireless, sound, and chipset drivers, as well as drivers for any products you've added after purchasing the PC.
If any drivers are encapsulated in ZIP files, unzip them into separate folders; that way, you'll be able to install them directly from your CD later (without having to manually unzip them first).

When you have everything in hand, burn all the drivers to a CD, write "Drivers" and today's date on the disc with a Sharpie pen, and put it in a safe place. This disc and your original Windows XP CD (and regular backups of your precious data) are all you need to recover your PC from a serious crash.

Note: Having your network drivers on disc is particularly important, because without them you probably won't be able to connect to the Internet and download other drivers later on, when you really need them.

I had a pretty serious virus invasion recently, and rather than trying to recover my data none of which I care about I want to wipe my hard disk clean and start over. How do I do this?

You'll typically find it much easier to destroy data than to create it. Nonetheless, there's no direct way to wipe your hard disk clean from within Windows, and understandably so.

If you wipe your hard disk using either of the following methods, and you have no recent backup, you will lose all your personal data with no reliable means of retrieving it.

The easiest way to wipe your hard disk clean is to use the "restore disc" that came with your PC. Not only will it erase your hard disk, but it will reinstall Windows, all your drivers, and even much of the software that originally came with your PC. Just
insert the CD and follow the instructions.

Don't have a restore disc, or want more control? Just boot your system off an original Windows XP CD. Wait for a few minutes while Setup loads the drivers it needs and completes initiation, and then press Enter to "Set up Windows XP now." Press F8 to agree to the silly license, and moments later you'll see a list of drives and partitions on your system, like the one in Figure.

How you proceed at this point is up to you, but assuming there's no valuable data on your system, use the cursor keys to select partitions on your drive and then press the D key to delete them. (Deleting a partition instantly erases all data on it.) When there are no partitions left (all you see is "Unpartitioned space"), press the C key to create a new partition, type the maximum size for the partition (in MB), and press Enter. Then, highlight the new partition and press Enter to install Windows on it.

Complete the setup by following the instructions on screen.

After being battered by a virus and my meager attempts to eradicate it, my PC is essentially nonfunctional. I need to reinstall Windows XP without erasing my hard disk and all my data. But when I pop in my XP CD and try to run Windows Setup, I'm told that I can't install Windows over a newer version. It doesn't make sense: I'm installing XP over XP!

The problem is that you're not using Windows XP, you're using Windows XP Service
Pack 2 (or SP2), which Microsoft considers a newer version of the operating system. If you're like most of us, the service pack a bundle of patches and updates assembled by Microsoftwas installed automatically as part of the Windows Update service.

Does this mean your old XP CD is useless? Not necessarily. If you need to reinstall Windows, you have two options. First, you may be able to uninstall SP2 via the Add or Remove Programs control panel, and then reinstall XP. Alternatively, you can use your existing Windows CD to create a new Windows disc that includes SP2 and then use the new disc to reinstall Windows. This second process is called slipstreaming, and while somewhat arduous, it's worth the trouble, particularly if you want to be prepared for future PC emergencies (if your PC won't boot you won't be able to remove SP2, which means you won't be able to reinstall Windows, and your remaining option will involve crushing your PC with a large, blunt instrument).

To start, you'll need a real, original Windows XP CD; if you only have a restore disc or an XP CD with SP1 already installed, you can't use this fix. You'll also need a CD writer, a blank disc, and a full-blown CD burning application, such as Roxio Easy Media Creator or Nero Ultra Edition.

Windows Explorer's built-in CD burning feature won't cut it.

First, open Windows Explorer and create two new folders in the root folder of your hard disk: c:\xp and c:\sp2. Pop your original XP CD in your drive, highlight everything in the root folder of your CD (press Ctrl-A), and copy (drag) all the files on the CD into the c:\xp folder you just created.

Next, download the "Full Network Install" release of Service Pack 2. The filename is WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe. Save this 270+ MB file to the c:\sp2 folder on your hard disk, and when it's finished downloading, rename the file to sp2.exe.

Open a Command Prompt window (go to Start --> Run and type cmd.exe), and type: c:\sp2\sp2.exe /integrate:c:\xp

If you get an error stating "This Service Pack cannot be integrated into a destination that also has integrated Software Updates," it means your CD is not a true, original Windows XP CD and thus can't be slipstreamed. If you get a "not a valid Win32 application" error, the patch you downloaded is corrupt; you'll need to delete it and download it again. If you get the cryptic "file too big for memory" error, you're short on disk spaceyou need at least 1 GB of free space after you've copied the setup files.
You'll need one more thing from your original Windows CD. Download IsoBuster from
CD Recovery | CD DVD Data Rescue software, featuring BD HD DVD, and run the program. In the main IsoBuster window, select your CD drive from the list and highlight the Bootable CD folder on the
left. On the right, you should see an .img file (e.g., Microsoft Corporation.img or possibly BootImage.img). Drag this file into the c:\sp2 folder on your hard disk.
Next, open your CD burning software, and start a new "Bootable Disc" project (in Roxio) or "CD-ROM (Boot)" project (in Nero). When prompted, specify these settings:
Bootable disc type: no emulation Boot image data/image file: specify the .img file you extracted with IsoBuster
File system: Joliet
Sector count (boot section): 4 sectors
Load segment: 0x7C0
Volume label: use the same CD volume label as your original XP CD
In most CD-burning programs, you'll be prompted for this information in a piecemeal fashion via a series of dialog boxes once you start the CD project. (Consult your application's documentation for additional settings necessary to create bootable CDs.)

When given the opportunity, add the entire contents of the c:\xp folder to your project, and then burn the CD. When the burn is complete, you should have a bootable Windows XP SP2 CD, which can be used just like your original XP CD. You can test the CD by using it to boot your system, as described in "Boot with the Windows CD." Once you're sure the CD works, you can delete both the c:\xp and
c:\sp2 folders.

To use the CD to reinstall Windows, you have two options: insert the new CD while Windows is running, or if you can't get into Windows boot off the CD. In either case, choose the option to upgrade Windows rather than performing a fresh install, so that Setup can retain your installed applications and all your settings. Then, just follow
the on screen prompts to complete installation.

Unless you choose to format your hard disk, all your data will remain intact.

My PC got hit with a pretty nasty virus, and the damage was so severe that I had to wipe my hard disk clean. Now I'm trying to reinstall Windows, but my PC won't boot off the CD. How else can I install this thing?

Normally, you're supposed to install (or reinstall) Windows from within Windows. With
Windows running, pop the CD into your drive, and Setup should start automatically. This is the method of choice if you're upgrading to a newer version of Windows or simply reinstalling your existing version to fix some problems, since Setup is able to preserve your settings (desktop icons, colors, etc.), as well as installed applications and data.

Note: On some modern PCs, you can press F12 at startup to show a list of possible boot devices; from here, choose your CD drive to boot off the Windows CD for this session.

Of course, on a PC without any working copy of Windows, you'll have to do a "clean install," which typically requires that you boot your computer directly off the Windows CD. However, for this to work your PC must be configured to check your CD drive for bootable discs before booting off the hard disk, and most PCs aren't set up this way by default.

To change the default boot device for this and all subsequent boots, restart your computer. Immediately before the Power On Self Test (POST) "beep," press the key on your keyboard (usually Del, F1, F2, or Esc) used to enter your PC's BIOS setup screen. Refer to your computer's manual for details about your system's BIOS setup.
Once inside Setup, navigate to the "Boot" or "Startup" section (see Figure) with the cursor keys. Using the keys indicated on the screen (usually in a legend at the bottom), move your CD or DVD drive so that it is listed before your hard disk (a.k.a. HDD). Setup screens vary widely, so consult your manual for specific instructions.

When you're done, save your settings and reboot (usually by pressing Esc, F10, or the End key). When your PC reboots, it should poll your CD drive and check for a bootable CD. If the XP CD is in the drive, you'll be asked to "Press the spacebar to boot off CD." Press the spacebar, and in a few seconds you should see a series of unfriendly messages (white text on a black screen) that indicate that Windows Setup is loading.

If your PC won't boot off the XP CD, chances are that your CD or DVD drive is one of the astonishingly large percentage of drives that don't properly support bootable CDs. If you can't get yours to work, try a different drive. Another possibility is that your PC didn't come come with a real Windows CD, but rather something called a restore disc.

Note: When you've successfully installed the operating system, follow the above procedure to change your BIOS settings again, reinstating the hard disk as the default boot device.

My Friend and I both have wireless laptops, but we're traveling and nowhere near a wireless router. Can we connect to each other anyway?

Yes you can, using something called an ad-hoc wireless network, a little-known feature specifically designed to connect two PCs to one another wirelessly.

On one of the PCs, open the Network Connections control panel, right-click your wireless connection, and select Properties. Choose the Wireless Networks tab, and click the Add button to display the Wireless Network Properties dialog box as shown in Figure.

Type a name for your ad-hoc network in the "Network name (SSID)" field. From the Network Authentication drop-down list, choose Open, and from the Data encryption list, choose WEP.

Next, remove the checkmark next to the "The key is provided for me automatically" option, and then make up a key to type into both the "Network key" and "Confirm network key" fields. The key can be any combination of numbers and letters from AF; for the sake of simplicity, use a 10-character (64-bit) key.

Finally, place a checkmark next to the "This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network; wireless access points are not used" option at the bottom of the window, and then click OK. The new network should show up in the "Preferred networks" list, along with the word "(Automatic)," signifying that Windows will connect to this network automatically when it is in range.

Now, repeat these steps on the other PC, and then open the "Choose a wireless network" dialog box on both PCs. With any luck, and a few clicks of the "Refresh network list" link, the two PCs should connect and form a private workgroup.

Every time I turn on my PC, a little yellow balloon pops up in the lower-right corner of my screen and says that my network cable is unplugged. I'm not using a network cable at all, and my wireless connection works fine. Does this error mean anything?

Not really. It's kind of like the flight attendant who wakes you up during a long flight to ask if you want a pillow (no offense intended to flight attendants… or pillows).

Windows XP is designed to notify you whenever one of your network connections isn't connected, even when another connection is working fine. Common sense would tell you to open the Network Connections control panel, right-click the connection in question, choose Properties, and uncheck the "Notify me when this connection has limited or no connectivity" box. However, this seemingly apt option has no effect on this error.

Unfortunately, the only way to permanently do away with this useless message is to disable the offending connection entirely. Open the Network Connections control panel, right-click the connection, and select Disable. You'll notice that both the message and the icon in your Tray disappear, never to be seen again (unless you re-enable the connection).

My laptop connects to the Internet without any problem as long as I'm in the same room as my wireless router. But once I change rooms or move too far away from my router, the connection drops in and out. What's the deal?

Interference is the name of the game. The tiny WiFi transceiver in your PC should be capable of picking up any wireless network within about 300 feet under ideal conditions namely, outdoors with a clear line of sight.

Indoors, the range can be quite a bit lower; typically, the signal won't go through more than two or three walls, and perhaps one floor or ceiling.

Drive-by Sniffing

Every WiFi-equipped PC is capable of WiFi sniffing: scanning the area immediately surrounding it and listing any hotspots (wireless network access points) it finds. Of course, only those networks that are broadcasting their SSIDs will show up, which is why you'll probably want to turn off SSID broadcast on your own router.

The "Choose a wireless network" dialog box is Windows XP's built-in WiFi sniffer, and it is particularly handy when you're trying to find an Internet connection away from home. Whether you're in a coffee shop, in a hotel, or just driving through some residential neighborhood, you can use the sniffer to list any available WiFi networks within range. The closest networks (or rather, the ones with the strongest signals) are listed first, followed by the weaker, more distant hotspots.

A yellow padlock icon indicates secure hotspots wireless networks requiring WEP or WPA security keys so highlight the unsecured network with the strongest signal, and click the Connect button.

With any luck, Windows should connect to the network in 10-15 seconds, and you should be able to start surfing normally soon thereafter.

Note: Like to stay mobile? Keep an eye on your wireless reception with the free Wireless Strength widget (Kapsules. Simply Widgets. ), a graphical signal strength meter that sits on your desktop. (This tool requires the Kapsules scripting engine, freely available from Kapsules. Simply Widgets. .)

The placement of your wireless router and the arrangement of nearby obstacles will have a significant effect on the strength and range of your WiFi signal. Of course, your router will need to be within spitting distance of your DSL or cable modem, but with a sufficiently long cable, you
should have some leeway with the router's placement. Use the signal strength indicator in the "Choose a wireless network" window (right-click the wireless connection icon in the System Tray or Network Connections window and choose View Available Wireless Networks) to test various
configurations.

Place your wireless router out in the open; don't put it under your desk, in a drawer, or behind a metal file cabinet. If you're
feeding several PCs, place your router in a central location. Consider cabling any stationary computers to optimize the placement of the router for your portable (wireless) ones .

Now, other technology in your home or office may also interfere with your wireless network, limiting its range, speed, and reliability. Both the popular 802.11b and newer 802.11g standards operate over the 2.4-GHz band, which is also inhabited by many cordless phones and all microwave ovens. (The black sheep of the family, 802.11a, solves this problem by using the 5-GHz band, but its short range and limited compatibility make it an unpopular choice.) This means that you'll get better results if you move the router away from any cordless phone base stations, televisions, radios, security systems, or TV dinners. (Better yet, replace your aging 2.4-GHz portable phone with a WiFi-friendly 5.8-GHz cordless phone.)

If, after adjusting the placement of your router, you still need more range, consider either a repeater (range extender) or an after market antenna (provided your router has an antenna port to accommodate one). If you need a lot more distance (possibly at the expense of some
versatility)and you fancy yourself a tinkerera Pringles "cantenna"
(Antenna on the Cheap (er, Chip) - O'Reilly Emerging Telephony ) can extend your wireless range by a mile or more!

I like to sit at my local coffee shop with my wireless laptop, sip a double decaf soy latte, and read my email. Is this safe?

Good question, and not one that occurs to a lot of people. Soy lattes can be risky if you don't take proper precautions.

Now, when you connect to the WiFi hotspot at the coffee shop (or on some random street corner downtown), you're connecting to a public, unsecured workgroup. This may not seem like a problem until you consider the other PCs that also may be connected, any of which may share a virus or two with you, or merely serve as a conduit for an intruder hacking into your system.

To improve your security, first turn off any and all shared folders. And if you haven't done so already, set up a password for your user account. This will go a long way toward protecting your data from casual intrusions, but you shouldn't stop there. To be on the safe side, enable the Windows Firewall or install more competent third-party firewall software, such as ZoneAlarm Pro. The best solutions allow you to easily switch between a relaxed state, permitting all your programs to work while you're safely behind your router's firewall at home, and a heightened state of security when you're on the road.

Of course, mind what you do on the Net while you're at that coffee shop, too. As long as you're using someone else's network, nothing you do should be considered private. Although secure SSL-protected web sites do provide better privacy than insecure sites, you're probably better off visiting financial web sites only when you're at home.

I can't get my wireless network off the ground. I want to use the Internet, share files, and so on, but none of it seems to work. I thought this was going to be easy!

Wireless networking is easy! (Unless it's not.)

Wireless networking can be extremely convenient when it works but an absolute headache when it doesn't. The good news is that if you take the time to set up your router correctly, update your firmware, and install Service Pack 2, most wireless problems will disappear.

Note: If you don't have Service Pack 2 yet, use the Windows Update feature now to get it (open Internet Explorer and select Tools --> Windows Update).

A router lets you connect your PC (or all the PCs in your workgroup) to the Internet, as well as connect multiple PCs to each other. Routers also include built-in firewalls, offering much better protection than software-based firewalls such as the Windows Firewall built into Service Pack 2.

But most importantly, a wireless router acts as an access point, a central hub to which all wireless devices in your home or office can connect. To set up a wireless network, you'll need a wireless router (preferably one that supports the 802.11g standard), and at least one PC with a wireless network adapter.

Connect your PC directly to your wireless router with a cable; that's right, a cable! You'll need to communicate with your router to set it up properly for wireless access something you won't be able to do wirelessly throughout the whole process. Connect one end of a category-5 patch cable to your PC's Ethernet port, and the other end to one of the numbered LAN ports on the back of the router. Then plug in the router's power cable.

Your router probably came with setup software on a CD; in most cases, you don't need this and can use the router's more flexible web-based setup instead. Open a web browser on your PC, and type the router's IP address (usually 192.168.1.1 , but check the router's manual) into the address bar. The router's built-in web server should show you a setup page like the one in Figure.

If you can't connect to your router, your computer is probably not on the same subnet as the router. The first three numbers of your computer's IP address must match the first three numbers of your router's IP address, but the fourth number must be different. For instance, if your router's address is 192.168.0.1, you may not be able to connect to it until you manually change your PC's address to 192.168.0.xxx, where xxx is any number between 2 and 255. If all else fails, reset the router, following the instructions in the documentation, and try again.

On the setup page, choose your Internet connection type from the list. If your Internet connection requires a username and password, select PPPoE. If your ISP has provided an IP address for your connection, select Static IP. Otherwise, choose Automatic Configuration -DHCP. (Naturally, the options for your router may be slightly different.)

Click the Apply or Save Settings button at the bottom of the page when you're done. Within a few seconds, you should have Internet access; go ahead and test it by opening a second browser window (press Ctrl-N) and visiting any web site.

Note: If you select PPPoE, the router should prompt you for a login. Type the username and password for your broadband connection, not your login for Windows, your email account, or anything else. If you choose Static IP, enter the IP addresses of your ISP's DNS servers. Your ISP should provide this information to you .

Once your Internet connection is working, visit the router manufacturer's web site and download any available firmware updates. (You can usually find your router's current firmware version on the Status page in the router's web-based setup.) Firmware updates include essential bug fixes,
performance enhancements, security patches, and occasionally new features. Consult your router's documentation for firmware update instructions.

Next, go to your router's wireless setup page (see Figure): this is either a link in the main menu or a tab across the top of the page. Choose a new SSID (the name for your wireless network), and turn off the Wireless SSID Broadcast option to keep your wireless network private Click the Apply or Save Settings button at the bottom of the page when you're done.

Note: If you're using a Wireless-G router (a faster sibling of the 802.11b standard, capable of 54 Mbps), avoid the temptation to select the "G only" option on the wireless setup page. This feature prevents slower Wireless-B devices from joining your WiFi networka fact you'll likely have forgotten when a visiting relative tries to connect to your home network to check her email a few months from now .

You should also enable encryption for the best wireless security. This setting will be accessible either through a button on the current page, or on a separate tab entitled WEP, WPA, Encryption, or simply Wireless Security, like the one in Figure. WEP, the Wireless Encryption Protocol,
prevents anyone without your secret WEP key from connecting to or spying on your wireless network. Some routers also support WPA, or WiFi Protected Access, which provides a slightly higher level of security.

On your router's encryption page, enable WEP, and then choose the highest WEP encryption level supported by your router (in this example, 128-bit). Higher levels provide better protection, but also mean longer (and harder to type) WEP keys.

Some routers have you choose a passphrase , which is a word your router uses to generate the WEP keys. In the example shown in Figure, I typed the word "annoyances" and clicked the Generate button to create four 26-digit WEP keys (the first one, Key 1, is the only one that is used). Generally, all of the computers on your wireless network will have to use the same key.

The Evils of SSID Broadcast

Your SSID is the back door into your wireless network. If you broadcast your SSID, anyone with an SSID sniffer will be able to find it in a matter of seconds, connect to your network, and use your Internet connection (or even snoop around your shared folders).

The same danger exists if you continue to use your router's default SSID; probably a million people around the globe are using "link-sys," which makes it a good guess for anyone trying to gain access to your network. Choose an SSID like you'd choose a password, and your wireless network will stand a better chance of remaining private.

The only time you'll likely want to enable SSID broadcast, other than for testing purposes, is if you're setting up a public WiFi access point, say in a coffee shop or bed and breakfast, and you want to make it easy for your patrons to connect.

My peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program stopped working when I installed Service Pack 2. Is Microsoft trying to put an end to P2P, or can I fix this?

Most large companies would like to see P2P disappear, mostly because nobody has found a respectable way to make money off it. But the problem you're experiencing is almost certainly caused by the new Windows Firewall software built into SP2, which is blocking your file sharing program from establishing a connection to its server.

Note: Microsoft frequently releases updates and bug fixes for its firewall. If you decide to use the Windows Firewall, make sure you download all available updates using the Windows Update feature .

A firewall is a layer of protection that permits or denies network communication based on a predefined set of rules. These rules restrict communication so that only certain applications are permitted to use your network connection. This effectively closes back doors to your computer that viruses, hackers, and other malicious parties or applications might otherwise exploit. The Windows Firewall replaces the nearly worthless Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) found in earlier versions of Windows XP. While it's better than its predecessor, it also acts more aggressively and closes more back doors by default.

Note: If you're using a router with a built-in firewall and you don't need to protect your PC from the other computers in your local network, you can safely turn off the Windows Firewall for good .

To see if the Windows Firewall is to blame, disable it temporarily. Open the Security Center control panel, click Windows Firewall, select the "Off (not recommended)" option, and click OK.

If your P2P software now works, the firewall software is clearly the culprit. (If it still doesn't work, the problem lies elsewhere; consult your P2P software documentation for details.) Go ahead and return to the Windows Firewall window, and select the "On (recommended)" option to re-enable it. Next, choose the Exceptions tab, click the Add Program button, and find your P2P application in the list (if you don't see it, click Browse to locate the .exe file on your hard disk). Highlight the program and click OK in both boxes. The Windows firewall should now let your P2P program do its thing without interference the change will take effect immediately. (If you're using a third-party firewall program, check the software's documentation for help creating exceptions.)

If creating this exception doesn't work, return to the Exceptions tab of the Windows Firewall window and create another exception. This time, instead of basing the exception on the program filename, configure the firewall to allow all communication over the port used by your software.
Click the Add Port button, type a name for the exception (for example, P2P ), and type the port number (e.g., 6699 ). If you don't know the port number used by your P2P software, consult the software documentation. Click OK in both boxes, and give it a whirl.

I have three PCs in my house, but only one Internet connection. How can I access the Web from all three PCs at the same time?

There are several approaches, but the best solution is to use a router (preferably one with wireless support). Essentially, you take the cable that goes from your modem to your PC, unplug it from your PC, and plug it into the back of the router. Then you connect all your PCs to your router, either wirelessly or with cables, and then configure your router.

The router also protects the PCs on your network with its built-in firewall, a must-have in an era of viruses, spyware, and bored teenage hackers.
The alternative to a router, useful only if you need a quick-and-dirty solution or can't use a router for some reason, is to use Windows XP's built-in Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) feature. The trick, basically, is to connect one PC (called the "host") simultaneously to the Net and to your local network. Then you set up your other PCs to piggyback, so to speak, on the host PC's Internet connection. Since the host PC needs two network cards, (one for the local network and one for connecting to the Internet), this approach likely won't save you any money or time, for
that matter over using an inexpensive router.

To set up ICS on the host PC, open the Network Connections control panel and select View --> Details. You should have at least two connections listed: one for your Internet connection and one for your workgroup. If not, your network is not ready.

Find your connection for the Internet. In most cases, this connection will be the network adapter connected to your DSL or cable modem. (For connections that require a username and password, use the PPPoE broadband connection you) Right-click the connection icon, select Properties, and choose the Advanced tab. Check the "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection" box, and click OK. Back in the Network Connections folder, it should now say "Enabled, Shared" in the Type column.

The next step is to configure each of the other computers on your network to use the shared connection. On each of the other "client" PCs, open the Network Connections control panel, right-click the connection icon corresponding to the network adapter plugged into your workgroup, and select Properties. Choose the General tab, highlight the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" entry in the list, and click the Properties button. In most cases, you'll want to select the "Obtain an IP address automatically" option. If, however, you need static IP addresses, choose the "Use the following IP address" option, and fill out the fields. For the "Default gateway," type the IP address of the PC hosting the shared Internet connection.

That's it! Test your connection on each PC by loading a web page. Of course, for this to work, the host computer must be turned on and connected to the Internet a requirement that makes the router a much better choice for the long haul.

My ISP gave me this CD when I signed up for Internet service. Not knowing any better, I installed it, and now my PC is littered with ads and junk software. Do I need any of this stuff?

In most cases, the software that comes with broadband service is unnecessary, providing little more than branded web software and links to your ISP's various marketing partners. The exception is the "dialer" program required by certain types of broadband connections, which is used to send your username and password to your ISP in order to connect to the Internet. Such software is typically flaky and the cause of all sorts of Internet connection problems. Fortunately, you can usually dump your ISP's proprietary software in favor of either Windows XP's built-in dialer or the auto-connect capabilities of a router.

Note: There are a few exceptions. If you're using a USB modem, such as the SpeedTouch 330, it may require special drivers in order to work. If you have one of these, you may be better off replacing it with a combination modem and wireless router, such as the SpeedTouch 580, than trying to get it to work with anything other than the software that comes with it. Another exception is a wholly proprietary Internet connection provider such as AOL, which isn't compatible with anything other than the provided connection software .

First, remove the superfluous software provided by your ISP: in the Add or Remove Programs control panel, highlight your ISP's software, and click the Remove button. If your ISP installed more than one software package, you may have to uninstall several entries from this list.

The best alternative to a software-based dialer is a wireless router, which will dial your connection automatically, keep you online all the time, protect your PC with its built-in firewall, and even provide wireless access to boot.

Although routers are hard to beat, you can use Windows's built-in PPPoE dialer to connect to the Internet without any added hardware. Open the Network Connections control panel and click the "Set up a home or small office network" link on the left (or double-click the Network Connection
Wizard icon). Answer the questions as follows:

1. Click the Next button to skip the introductory page, choose the "Connect to the Internet" option, and then click Next again.

2. Choose the "Set up my connection manually" option, and click Next.

3. Choose the "Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and password" option, and click Next.

4. Type a name for this connection, and click Next. A good choice is the name of your ISP, or just "DSL" or "cable."

5. Enter your username and password (see Figure), choose the desired options underneath (if you're not sure, turn them all on), and click Next.

6. Click the Finish button to complete the wizard.

To initiate the connection, double-click the icon you just created in the Network Connections folder. If you elected to create a desktop shortcut in the wizard, you can also double-click the new desktop icon. By default, a Connect dialog will appear, at which point you can click the Connect button to dial and connect your PC to the Internet.

Normally, you'll have to dial this connection before you can go online. To have Windows connect automatically, first right-click the connection icon and select "Set as Default Connection." Next, open the Internet Options control panel, choose the Connections tab, and select the "Always dial my default connection" option.

To skip the Connect dialog, right-click the new connection and select Properties (or click the Properties button in the Connect dialog box). Choose the Options tab, and remove the checkmark next to the "Prompt for name and password, certificate, etc." option. This is particularly useful if you want Windows to connect automatically when you first start your computer; just drag the PPPoE connection icon from the Network Connections folder into your Startup folder in your Start menu.

Whether you use a router, XP's own Point-to-Point over Ethernet (PPPoE) dialer, or your ISP's dialing software to connect, the way your dialer behaves when you try to connect should tell you what's wrong. If it tells you that your login is incorrect, either your username or your password is wrong. The most common mistake involves the username, which often resembles an email address (e.g., username@myisp.net ) instead of just a bare name. Check your documentation for details, or call your ISP to have them reset your password.

If you have to wait a long time before the dialer gives you any error at all, your IP settings may be incorrect. If, on the other hand, you get an error right away, it's probably a configuration problem with your dialer software, such as the wrong network adapter selected.

If your dialer indicates that there was no response from the server (or something similar), it usually means your service is down. Check your cables, and contact your ISP for status.

Does your broadband connection require special dialer software? Otherwise, you likely have an always-on connection, one that uses either a dynamic (randomly assigned) IP address or a static (always the same) IP address. In this case, refer to the paperwork that came with your broadband connection, and change Windows's TCP/IP settings accordingly.

Specifically, choose the "Obtain an IP address automatically" option if you're using a dynamic address, or the "Use the following IP address" option for a static address.

When I installed Windows, I had to choose an Administrator password and then create a separate user account for myself. Can I delete the superfluous account and simply use the Administrator account as my primary login?

You can, but only in Windows XP Professional and Media Center Edition. (Note: in MCE, the Administrator account is named "Media Center" by default.) In Windows XP Home, the Administrator account is restricted and can be used only when you start your PC in Safe Mode.

To log in as the Administrator, go to Start --> Log Off, and click the Log Off button. Once you see the Welcome screen, press Ctrl-Alt-Del twice to show the old-fashioned "Log On to Windows" dialog box. Type Administrator for the username, enter the Administrator password below, and click OK.

Once you've logged on as the Administrator, you can delete the superfluous user account from the User Accounts control panel. Of course, you'll lose all the settings from that account, so it may not be worth it if you've been using the account for some time.

To show the Administrator account on the Welcome screen, open the Registry Editor (go to Start --> Run and type regedit ), navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Cu rrentVersion\
Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList , select Edit --> New --> DWORD Value, and type Administrator for the name of the new value. Double-click the new Administrator value in the right pane and type 1 in the "Value data" field. When you're done, close the Registry Editor and
restart Windows for the change to take effect.

Note: Don't know the Administrator password? Provided you're logged in as a user with administrator privileges (not the same as the Administrator account), you can choose a new password for the Administrator account in the alternate User Accounts window (go to Start --> Run and type control userpasswords2 ). Just highlight any user in the list other than Administrator, and then click the Reset Password button .
Reply With Quote

I added a password to my Windows user account to protect my shared data, but now I have to type it every time I turn on my PC. Isn't there a way to skip this step?

It may seem ironic to create a password for your PC and then immediately override it with an automatic logon, but it's a perfect solution for a single-user PC on a home network. Your user account needs a password if you want to share files with other PCs on your network, particularly if you want to protect your data from intruders. But
unless those intruders routinely walk by your computer, you can forgo having to type that password every time you start Windows.

To do this, go to Start --> Run, type control userpasswords2 , and then click OK to open the alternate User Accounts window shown in Figure. (The standard User Accounts window in the Control Panel isn't sufficient for this task.)
Remove the checkmark next to the "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer" option, and click OK. In the Automatically Log On dialog box, type your username, enter your password twice, and click OK. The next time Windows starts, you'll skip the Welcome screen and go straight to your desktop.

My PC slows to a crawl when someone reads a shared file on my hard disk over the network. I need to keep those shared folders active, but the performance slowdown interferes with my work. What can I do?

Although heavy network traffic can bog down a PC, it may indeed be nothing more than a hardware problem. Specifically, your network adapter may conflict with another hardware device in your system.

If you're using a desktop PC, shut down Windows, unplug the power cable, and crack open the case. Locate your network adapter the card into which you plug your network cable remove the screw, pull out the card, and pop it into a different slot. Reassemble and turn on your PC and see if the problem goes away.

If, on the other hand, your NIC is integrated on the motherboard, it probably shares an IRQ with one of the PCI slots, and thus the PCI card in that slot may be causing the problem. Remove all nonessential PCI cards from your system, and start up Windows. If the problem persists, you may have to shuffle the remaining, essential PCI cards until you resolve the problem. If, on the other hand, the problem vanishes after you remove the PCI cards, shut down your PC and reinsert the cards one by one, reassembling and restarting your system after each insertion, until you find the culprit. If the culprit is a troublesome PCI slot, cover it with a piece of masking tape to remind yourself to keep it unoccupied.
If you're still stuck, you may need to update your network drivers or even replace your network hardware.

I need to print to a printer that's physically connected to another PC on my network, but when I browse for the printer in the Add Printer Wizard, it never shows up. I also tried typing the printer's network address into the wizard without any luck, and the printer manufacturer is absolutely no help.

The traditional way to use a printer installed and shared on another PC is to open the Printers and Faxes control panel and then click Add Printer. On the "Local or Network Printer" page, choose "A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer," and on the next page, choose "Browse for a printer." Unfortunately, a variety of problems can cause the printer to be absent from this screen.

First, make sure the PC to which the printer is connected is turned on, the network is working for all PCs involved, and the printer is indeed shared. On the remote PC (the one with the printer), open the Printers and Faxes control panel. Right-click the printer you'd like to share, select
Properties, and then choose the Sharing tab. Select the "Share this printer" option, and then click OK.

If the printer is shared, and you're sure its driver supports network sharing, there's a quick workaround that usually works (although it won't solve the underlying problem, whatever that might be). Open Windows Explorer on a PC not directly connected to the printer, and click the My
Network Places folder. Open Entire Network , then Microsoft Windows Network , then your workgroup (e.g., MSHOME ), and then the PC to which the printer is attached. Inside, you'll find a Printers and Faxes folder, and inside that, you'll see all the printers shared on that PC. Right-click the printer you want to use, and select Connect.

If all goes well, the printer will show up in the Printers and Faxes dialog in 10 - 20 seconds, and you should be able to print to it immediately thereafter.

Note: Note that some printers can't be shared (this problem may come up if the manufacturer sells a more expensive "network-ready" printer that they'd rather have you buy). Review your printer's documentation and check the manufacturer's web site for driver updates if you can't get sharing to work. Typically, printers suffering from this limitation do show up in the "Browse for a printer" list but display an error when you try to install the drivers or print remotely .

I have an old Windows 98 system I need to network with my Windows XP machine, but I can't seem to get the two PCs to communicate.

Getting XP to happily communicate with Windows 9x machines over a network can be a bit of a chore. Fortunately, there are two tactics that usually solve the problem.

First, assign a static IP address to each PC on your network, regardless of the Windows version being used.

Second, Windows 95 and Windows 98 (and occasionally Windows Me) install a driver called NetBEUI by default. NetBEUI is not compatible with Windows NTbased systems (such as Windows XP and 2000), and it can cause problems if installed on any system on your network. To remove
NetBEUI from a Windows 95/98/Me system, open the Network control panel and choose the Configuration tab. If you see NetBEUI in the list, highlight it, and click the Remove button.

Remove all instances of NetBEUI from this window, and then click OK when you're done. You'll probably have to restart your PC.

It seems to take forever to browse the folders on the other PCs on my network. How can I speed things up?

The Scheduled Tasks folder, which appears in My Network Places along with your shared folders and printers, is responsible for much of the slowdown. Since the shared Scheduled Tasks folder takes so long to load, and has very little value to most Windows users, you can just
turn off the share to speed things up.

Open the Registry Editor (select Start --> Run and type regedit ), and navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSp
. Inside the NameSpace key, you may see one or several subkeys, each responsible for a special shared folder.

To see what any one of these subkeys does, select it and look at the (Default ) value in the right pane. To stop sharing Scheduled Tasks , just delete the {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} key.

While you're here, you can further improve performance by turning off the Printers and Faxes share. If you don't plan on sharing any printers, delete the {2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D} key.

Close the Registry Editor when you're done. The change should take effect immediately.

Note: If, for some reason, you want to re-enable the Scheduled Tasks share, just recreate the subkey. Select Edit --> New --> Key and type {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF } for its name .

Windows insists on sharing my entire hard disk, despite the fact that I've only elected to share specific folders. What are administrative shares, and why can't I turn them off?

Hmm… it's almost as though Microsoft cares more about corporate strategy than the personal security of their customers. Funny, that.
If you're using Windows XP Professional (or Media Center Edition), your entire hard disk is indeed being shared on your network whether you like it or not.

If you open Windows Explorer, right-click drive C :, and select Sharing and Security, you'll see that the drive is already shared as C$ . This is called an administrative share , and although the $ suffix makes it hidden in My Network Places , users on your network can still browse the
share thereby gaining access to all the files on your drive by typing the following path into Windows Explorer's address bar:

\\mycomp\c$

where mycomp is the name of your PC. Combine this with the fact that user accounts don't have passwords by default, and you'll see how insecure Windows XP can be.

Administrative shares allow network administrators to install software, run Disk Defragmenter, or perform other maintenance on your PC remotely. But unless you're in a corporate environment, you have nothing to gain by leaving this back door open… and everything to lose.

To patch this hole, open the Registry Editor (go to Start --> Run and type regedit ), and navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\lanmanserver\parameters . In the right pane, double-click the AutoShareServer value, type 0 in the "Value data" field, and click OK. Then double-click the AutoShareWks value, type 0 in the "Value data" field, and click OK. Close the Registry Editor when you're done.

Next, go to Start --> Run, type compmgmt.msc , and click OK to open the Computer Management tool. In the System Tools branch on the left, click the [+] icon next to Shared Folders to expand it, and then highlight the Shares folder. To manually remove the administrative shares, right-click each one (e.g., C$, D$, E$ ) and select Stop Sharing. Go ahead and remove any hidden share (anything with a dollar sign in the name), with the following three exceptions:

IPC$ , which stands for Inter-Process Communication, is used for remote administration of your computer, something very few people need outside of a corporate environment. Although it has been proven that the IPC$ share can be exploited, the only way to disable it permanently is to turn off file sharing altogether. You can stop sharing IPC$ temporarily, but Windows will recreate the share the next time you restart.

print$ is used to exchange printer driver files when you share a printer. You should leave this share intact.

wwwroot$ will be present if Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) software is installed. Leave this share intact if you want to use your computer as a web server or a web software development platform.

When you're done, restart your computer, and then reopen the Computer Management tool to check your work.

I know a folder is being shared when I see that little hand icon on top of the yellow folder icon. But all it takes is one forgotten share to leave my private files open to prying eyes. Can I get a comprehensive, reliable list of everything being shared on my PC?

You can simply open the My Network Places folder in Windows Explorer and navigate through Entire Network to find your PC and a list of all its shared resources, but this listing doesn't necessarily show everything that's being shared. Specifically, any hidden shares are, well, hidden.

To view all your network shares including the hidden ones select Start --> Run, type compmgmt.msc , and click OK to open the Computer Management tool. In the System Tools branch on the left, click the [+] icon next to Shared Folders to expand it, and then highlight the Shares folder, as shown in Figure.

Any share with a dollar sign at the end of its name (e.g., C$ ) is hidden. While hidden shares don't show up in My Network Places , you can access them just as readily as non-hidden shares.

From here, you can right-click any share and select Stop Sharing to turn it off, making this window a very convenient place to quickly tighten up security on your system. If you add or remove any shares in Windows Explorer, press the F5 key or click the Refresh button on the toolbar to update the list.

Although you can stop sharing any hidden share (such as C$ ) in this window, Windows will recreate all administrative shares the next time you start your computer, in effect sharing every file on your PC whether you want it to or not.

I looked at the Sharing tab for my C : drive, and the "Share this folder"
option is selected, meaning the drive is currently being shared. However, I don't see it in My Network Places . What's going on?

In Windows XP Professional (and Media Center Edition), all drives are shared automatically. For instance, the Sharing tab for drive C: on your PC probably looks like the one shown in Figure. (None of this applies to Windows XP Home.)

Microsoft calls this an administrative share , and it's enabled by default so that tools such as the Computer Management utility (accessed by going to Start --> Run and typing compmgmt.msc ) running on a remote computer can operate on your PC. The dollar sign at the end of the share name (e.g., C$ ) identifies it as a hidden share, which means it won't ever show up in My Network Places . All it takes to view a hidden share is to type the share name into Windows Explorer's address bar, like this:

\\mycomp\c$

In this example, mycomp is the name of your computer. Provided there aren't any password or permission restrictions, anyone can access the files in this shared folder as readily as any non-hidden share.

Warning: Yes, administrative shares indeed constitute a potential security risk, as they allow access to any files on your hard disk, whether they're in folders you've specifically shared or not.

Now, you can use these administrative shares to access your drives remotely, as explained earlier, but if you want to share your drive so that it shows up in My Network Places , just click the New Share button at the bottom of the window. In the New Share dialog box, type a share name (e.g., C ), set any permissions, and click OK.

Note: Concerned about security? Instead of sharing the entire drive, just share the individual folders you need to access across your network .

What is .DS_Store?

Removing .DS_Store and Thumb.db

Search

Labels

Blog Archive