Sunday, October 26, 2008

Mobile World-19: "Seven Million iPhones Sold!"

Seven million iPhones have been sold this quarter, reports All Things Digital.

Grateful thanks to All Things Digital (www.allthingsd.com)

Friday, October 17, 2008

Dotcom World-19: "India is Top Spam Sender"

An article in Silicon India says that India is the Top Spam Sender in Asia and the seventh largest in the world. It accounts for 4% of global spam, it says.

For the full article in Silicon World:
http://www.siliconindia.com/print_article.php?47469

Detailed Wikipedia article on "SPAM":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(electronic)

Grateful thanks to Silicon India and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Computer World-13: "Apple's Notebook Computer"

Apple cut the price on its entry-level notebook computer to $999 and introduced a line of aluminum-clad machines stazrting at $1,299.
Grateful thanks to Deccan Chronicle, Chennai, Oct.16, 2008.

Mobile World-18: "Motorola's Touch-sensitive Phone"

Motorola, the world's third biggest phone-maker, unveiled a touch-sensitive phone to be sold by Verizon Wireless, as both companies look to compete with Apple's iPhone.
Grateful thanks to Deccan Chronicle, Chennai, Oct.16, 2008 (Business page).

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

How To-34: "How to Rebuild a Windows XP PC"


How to Rebuild a Windows XP PC


from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This page provides information on rebuilding a typical Windows XP PC, with pointers to really useful and lightweight freeware. Rebuilding your computer every so often keeps the startup and shutdown times low and wipes out any spyware, keyloggers and viruses that are on the machine (but may not protect you from rootkits). Printing this page before you begin should make the process as painless as possible.

Assumptions:


  • You are computer literate.
  • You have backed up ALL your data.
  • You have a broadband internet connection.
  • You are not facing an impending deadline.

If the answer to any of these questions is NO, do NOT proceed.
If the answer to ALL these questions is YES, proceed at your own risk.

Disclaimer:


This is only to be attempted by those who are computer literate and willing to risk the loss of their data. If you are at all uncomfortable with computers, get a knowledgeable friend to babysit you. You are solely responsible for your data and hardware if you chose to follow these steps.

Before You Start:


If possible, have a spare computer handy - one that has been proven to connect to the internet using your internet service. In case the machine you are rebuilding can't connect to the internet because you have an old network card, you'll have an alternate.
The cardinal rule to follow when rebuilding PC's is to keep the OS and data on separate drives: that way, formatting or reinstalling your OS does carries little risk of taking your data down with it. In spite of your best efforts to separate OS and data, during everyday use, a few files might have slipped into the drive that you are about to demolish. It is a good idea to search for them before you start. Some items to search for before you start are:
  • Address books for Outlook, Outlook Express and Thunderbird.
  • All Outlook PST files and Thunderbird data files.
  • Backup you favorite Firefox extensions using CLEO and FEBE. Back them up on to removable media, not the drive that is about to be demolished.
  • Search for *.doc, *.xls, *.pdf, *.ppt, etc., in your user folders. Backup the ones you need on to removable media, not the drive that is about to be demolished.
  • If you use Microsoft Word, back up your custom.dic (dictionary) and normal.dot (word templates), particularly if you have customized words and styles.
  • If you use other Microsoft Office apps, back up their Templates as well (*.pot, *.xlt, etc.) which can be found at ..\\application data\microsoft\templates in Win XP
  • Make notes on your printers: Port configurations, model numbers, and driver locations, so adding them later is easier
  • If you are a heavy Microsoft user, consider using the Profile Wizard (part of the Resource Kit) to automate the move of many settings. Find info on this at: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ork2003/HA011402851033.aspx
  • Back up the ftp settings to your favorite sites.
  • Back up your "Favorites" or other Internet shortcuts, depending on your browser the location will vary.
  • Back up the QuickLaunch and Desktop Folders.
  • If there have been no significant hardware changes, save C:\Windows\System32\wpa.bak and wpa.dbl. Replacing these after the installation could save you having to reactivate windows.
  • Run C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\msinfo32.exe to get system information. Save the output to a text file & print it out (it is a huge file) or save it to the web so you know what is on your system when you go looking for drivers.
  • Determine your network adapter model and archive the latest drivers for it. If you can't connect to the internet after the reinstall, this will save you all sorts of pain.
  • Backup all user CERTIFICATES and FAVORITES in your browser.


Steps



Reinstall Windows
  1. Reboot the system & change the BIOS (typically you can enter the bios by pressing F7) to boot from CDROM as the first boot device.
  2. Reboot with the Windows XP CD.
  3. Delete the partition with the OS to ensure that everything is wiped out.
  4. Create a partition for the OS.
  5. Quick format to create the file system. Choose NTFS as the file system.
  6. Reboot. Do not choose option to boot from CD.
  7. Set the date and time.
  8. Set the workgroup to be HOME.
  9. Install Windows ($$$).
  10. Reboot. Once again, choose not to boot from the CD.
  11. Remove the CD - you should be in Windows now.
  12. Rename C:\Windows\System32\wpa.dbl to C:\Windows\System32\wpa.dbl.old (see previous section for the rationale - this may not apply to you).
  13. Copy the old wpa.dbl to C:\Windows\System32 (see previous section for the rationale - this may not apply to you).
  14. Reboot to ensure that this works.
  15. Reboot the system and change the BIOS to boot from IDE0 first and the CDROM last.
  16. Connect to the internet. If you can't, you won't be able to follow these instructions and the print out is your only backup.
  17. Open your IE browser (ugh) and do a Windows Update (you can install Firefox as soon as the updates are done). You should have service packs & patches galore to install.
  18. Reboot, go back and check for updates - they are often disseminated in small quantities over days. so there may well be more updates waiting for you.
  19. Scan for hardware changes. Windows did not recognize the SiS 7012 audio controller on the test system, but only pointed it out after a scan for hardware changes.
  20. Install your printer.
  21. Do one final scan for hardware changes and ensure that everything is functioning.
  22. Reboot.
  23. Create a restore point called Base.


Install Utilities (External Links)
The following non-comprehensive list includes several free utilities culled from a variety of sources on the internet. Programmes that cost money are followed by a ($) symbol; the number of $'s proportional to the cost. You may not need some of them: only install the ones you need, since superfluous software merely slows your system down.
There are ways of automating the installation of these utilities - using InstallPad, for example. However, when the time comes to rebuild your machine - with any luck some years away - some of these programmes may have changed or been upgraded. Therefore, InstallPad would probably install programmes that are out of date or irrelevant, forcing you to uninstall them and reinstall your new favorites.
This list should reminds you of the utilities that are likely to be of interest - if they are out of date when you are ready to do your next install, search for the latest ones.
For obvious reasons, you are strongly advised to install the antivirus programme before getting on the web.
  1. Install AVG Antivirus from here. Update it with the latest virus signatures immediately. Do NOT surf the web until this is done.
  2. Install TrueCrypt from here to create encrypted volumes for your sensitive data. This is especially useful for securing data on laptops.
  3. Install Moonsoft Password Agent ($) from here. If you want a free programme, try KeePass.
  4. Install Firefox from here. Install your favorite extensions from the CLEO & FEBE archive you previously created. Set your Firefox history and browsing preferences.
  5. Install Thunderbird from here. Recreate your email accounts, making sure you store the data files on another drive.
  6. Install ALFTP from here so you can ftp files to shared drives. It is a free and lightweight ftp programme.
  7. Install ALZip from here - it is a free and lightweight alternative to WinZip ($$).
  8. Install QuickTimeAlternative from here to view QuickTime content.
  9. Install Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Shockwave Player from here and here, respectively.
  10. Install Tracks Eraser Pro from here so you can wipe out your internet history, check startup entires and clean out your registry periodically.
  11. Install Yahoo Messenger with Voice from here. This lets you use make inexpensive international calls and use your webcam.
  12. Install CDBurner Pro from here. This is a lightweight CD burning programme that lets you create .iso files from CDs.
  13. Install MagicDisc from here. This lets you mount .iso files as seperate drives and saves you having to stick CDs into your drive every time you want to play a game.
  14. Install Auslogics Disk Defrag from here. This is a free and very fast hard drive defragmentation programme.
  15. Install Java Runtime Environment from here and JDiskReport from here in that order. This programme graphically shows you the size of files on your hard drive so you know where your precious hard drive space is being used up.
  16. Install PDFCreator from here. This free programme allows you to create .pdf files from any word processor or spreadsheet. It can also combine multiple documents into a single .pdf.
  17. Install Foxit PDF Viewer from here. This is a free lightweight viewer that loads much faster than Acrobat Reader.
  18. Install DriveImageXML from here. This programme allows you to image your hard drives - which means that you can restore your system from the image, should your computer get glugged up.
  19. Install GIMP for Windows from here. GIMP is a Photoshop ($$$) replacement. You will need to install the GTK+ 2 Runtime Environment first. Make sure you are downloading the version for Windows XP. Install the GIMP for Windows next, followed by the Help and the Animation package.
  20. Install Yahoo Desktop Search from here. Allow it to index your drive fully (this should take some time so you may want to do this overnight). It will slow your computer down, so don't do it unless you need to index your files.
  21. Run CCleaner and clean your system. Go to the startup manager tab and un-check everything not related to the antivirus scanner, firewall or desktop search. Any non-essential (non-antivirus, non-firewall) links here will slow your startup down. Do this last.
  22. Reboot.
  23. Install Microsoft Office ($$$) or the free, but less polished Open Office.
  24. Install Microsoft Front Page Express ($$$) or the free but less polished NVU if you do any web page editing.
  25. Do an Office Update to get the latest patches. As before, do this several times to ensure that the system is completely patched.
  26. Reboot.
  27. Create a restore point called Microsoft.
  28. Restore your Desktop.
  29. Restore your QuickLaunch and SendTo Folders. Check to ensure that the links are still valid. Don't delete the links that don't work if you intend to reinstall those programmes.
  30. Ensure that the drives have been assigned their old letters or your shortcuts may not work. You can change the drive letters by going to Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Computer Management->Disk Management. Right click on the disk whose letter you wish to change and click Change Drive Letter and Paths. Reboot to apply changes.
  31. Defragment your drive using Auslogic's Disk Defrag.
  32. Install your other programmes, if any. Reboot. Defrag your system drive. Run CCleaner to ensure that only the programmes you want to run at startup are in the startup folder.
  33. Create a restore point called System_00.
  34. Get a stopwatch and measure the time it takes to boot the system up into Windows. Also measure the time it takes you to log in. Measure the time it takes to shut down. Write these times down, so you have data points to help you decide when your system has become unacceptably slow. These times were recorded on the test system after reaching the System_01 restore point:

Time to login prompt: 00:51:38
Time to login: 00:12:56
Time to shutdown: 00:19:78

Back Your System up:


  • Use DriveImageXML to back up the system partition.
  • Use CDBurner Pro to save the system partition. Label and date using an appropriate CD-compatible pen and store safely.
  • Use DriveImageXML to back up the data partition.
  • Use CDBurner Pro to save the data partitions. Label and date using an appropriate CD-compatible pen and store safely.


Congratulations!


You should have a reasonably pristine system now. Every month or so, repeat the stopwatch tests, write them down and compare them to the original boot times. You will be surprised by how quickly the system slows down as gunk accumulates.

Related wikiHows





Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Rebuild a Windows XP PC. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-33: "How to Thwart Malware and Surf the Internet Safely"



"How to Thwart Malware and

Surf the Internet Safely"

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The internet has never been a safe environment. Most everyone has received, or knows someone who has received, a image:severe virus of some type; and just about every computer which has access to the internet has some form of malware, whether it is viruses, or just adware or spyware. There are a good number of steps you can take to protect your computer against these unwanted amenities.

Steps


  1. Definition of malware: "software, such as viruses, intended to damage or disable a computer system; short for malicious software"? –Dictionary.com. This set of software includes essentially any program which you do not want on your computer which has an adverse affect.
  2. Definition of virus: "A computer program that is designed to replicate itself by copying itself into the other programs stored in a computer. It may be benign or have a negative effect, such as causing a program to operate incorrectly or corrupting a computer’s memory"? –Dictionary.com. While some viruses are benign, the majority are designed to damage your computer in one way or another.
  3. Definition of adware: "a software application in which advertisements are displayed while the program is running, esp. in pop-up windows or banners"? –Dictionary.com. While adware is often very annoying, the majority of adware isn’t detrimental to your computer.
  4. Definition of spyware: "any software that covertly gathers information about a user while he/she navigates the Internet and transmits the information to an individual or company"? –Dictionary.com. Spyware is some of the more scary software which is prevalent on the internet. This software can track keystrokes, obtain passwords, observe your internet surfing patterns and even view downloaded files.
  5. If you think you have some sort of malware on your computer right now, unplug your computer from the internet immediately. Much of the malware which affects your computer needs a connection to the internet to send information or receive commands from a controller. Once unplugged, you can print this page and follows the steps on a separate computer. Once you have the programs from the process, you can transfer them to the infected computer and complete the steps there.
  6. The first step is to purchase (or download) an antivirus application. While purchased software is often a worthwhile investment, there are some very good free antivirus programs. Doing a search on Google for "free antivirus" will actually turn up a surprising number of adware programs that don’t actually protect your computer. But it will also turn up one of the best antivirus applications available: Grisoft’s AVG Anti Virus. Not only is this a fantastic program, it also has a free version which limits some of the functionality of the program, but gives all the protection of the paid version. Download the free version (or purchase a license from the main page) by viewing "Products" and selecting "AVG Free Edition".
  7. At some point before you run the antivirus software you will want to backup any files and documents you do not wish to risk deletion, loss, or corruption. Often, deeply embedded viruses can damage boot files and other files as they are removed because they intend to make problems for you in whatever way possible. Be sure not to backup programs or files which may contain a virus, only backup files which are you sure cannot contain a virus or any malware.
  8. Installing antivirus software is always best to be done on a fresh computer (a new computer, or one which has recently been reformatted). With any antivirus software, they are better at protecting the computer and preventing the malware from being installed than removing embedded viruses already on the computer. Though a good number of viruses can be eradicated after they have been installed, you shouldn’t hold your breath if you have severe viruses on the computer. Before you run a system scan with any software, you should be sure that you have the latest version of the program with the most recent virus definitions.
  9. If the antivirus software cannot rid your computer of the virus, try running the program in safe mode by restarting your computer and pressing F8 before windows boots. You may need to press F8 several times to get it pressed at the correct time. When the boot menu pops up, select "Safe Mode". Once windows starts up, run the antivirus scan. If this succeeds, then it is best to disable System Restore on all your hard drives to remove any remnants of the program. Once you restart the computer, you can re-enable System Restore.
  10. If the virus is identified by the antivirus application, but is not removed you are very limited on options. You should do a search on Google to see if there are any steps on the internet to remove the virus using an alternate way. But if you are ultimately unable to remove the virus, you may need to reformat your hard drive (AKA "wiping your computer"?, "starting from scratch"?, or "thwarting all malware!"?). You will need a copy of Windows to complete this, which (depending on where you got your computer) may be hard to come by, but is a solves-all for virtually any computer software problem.
  11. Generally, adware is much easier to eliminate than most viruses. Download Lavasoft’s "Ad-Aware SE Personal"?. This is a free program specifically designed for removal of adware and common spyware.
  12. Install Ad-Aware and download any updates for the program. Be sure to get the latest definitions. Then run a full (not smart) system scan on all your hard drives (in the future, you can run a smart system scan which is much faster).
  13. After running the program, it will likely say you have adware (even a fresh installation of Windows will contain adware). Quarantine all items it identifies (on a fresh computer the number of items may only be 50 or so, but on a few-year-old computer without malware protection, I have personally seen numbers in the thousands). The quarantine makes those files/programs inaccessible. Run your computer for a couple days, if everything seems to work fine, you can delete the quarantine to rid your computer of the malware permanently (I have never seen a program on a computer not function properly after a quarantine, but it is just a precaution).
  14. Ad-Aware may notify you saying "not all items could be removed (or scanned)"?. And it will ask you if it should scan next time your computer starts up. This is highly recommended, as it will find any hidden adware in your boot directories and remove them.
  15. Next download a program called "Spybot – Search and Destroy"? (SSaD) (available on Download.com). Install this program. During the installation, it will ask you if you want to get the latest definitions, do so. It will also ask you if you want to immunize your computer, this is definitely a good idea as it will prevent your computer from ever running a long list of known malware programs. It is also recommended to make a backup of your registries (as it suggests) just in case a registry is changed which affects a program you use (I have never seen this happen, but it is possible).
  16. Do a full scan of you computer with SSaD. This program will scan through your registries and clean up a few other places. The scan should take much less time than the previous two recommended programs, but it isn’t doing everything the other two did.
  17. Once your computer is squeaky clean, there are a good deal of ways to prevent malware from being installed on your computer in the first place (rather than coming back later and cleaning up after yourself). The primary way malware gets on your computer is while surfing the web.
  18. Ditch Internet Explorer (IE). While it packs with all copies of Windows,IE is very insecure (IE7 is insecure too!) You don’t have to uninstall IE, just don’t use it. If you don’t use it, malware can’t use it.
  19. The most used web browsing application (other than IE) is Mozilla Firefox (FX). FX is part of the long running Mozilla project (previously Netscape was based on Mozilla also, but they have parted ways). FF gives you features like tabbed browsing, pop up blocking, plug-ins (fully customize how FF looks and reacts), and security. Because Firefox was design by programmers who are familiar with open source projects, they have a good idea of common vulnerabilities associated with hacking and malware. They also have to be especially careful because the source code with all the ins and outs of the program are available for anyone to view on the internet. Firefox also releases automatic updates frequently to defend against any vulnerabilities that arise.
  20. Email applications are known to have vulnerabilities too. Outlook Express is a prime example. The version that ships with Windows XP is riddled with loopholes and insecurities.
  21. With any email application, keep updated. Go to the software’s website and manually check for newer versions of the program.
  22. Or use open source email applications like Mozilla’s Thunderbird, which is from the same makers as Firefox.
  23. Use a hardware firewall such as a router or other internet gateway. This makes it difficult for spyware and other malware to communicate with outside sources such as remote controllers. If you use a router, never DMZ your computer. If you must open ports to have access, use the port forwarding functions.
  24. The last step is to be smart about where you travel on the internet, and what files you download and install. Most people get spyware from sites they find in search engines, or from illegal file downloading sites or Bit Torrents. Stay away from anything that looks fishy and you’ll be better off for it.


Tips


  • TrendMicro, or "Housecall" http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ can also be used for removing viruses, trojans, malware, spyware and adware.
  • Never use the administrator (or root, if under Linux) account for the routine daily tasks. It is far easier to crack a computer when its user is surfing web as administrator.
  • Use the anti-malware programs (mentioned above) often. AVG does a full computer scan everyday. Ad-Aware should be manually run once every week (if you do a moderate amount of web surfing). SSaD should be run every other week.
  • If you use alternate web browsers (other than IE) you will find the malware identified by the above-mentioned program will drastically reduce.
  • Chances are, someone else on the internet has had the same problem you are experiencing, search computer problem forums for solutions to your problem.
  • Keep your computer up-to-date with automatic Windows Updates. If you do not have Windows XP SP2, get it immediately! It will help prevent malware incursion.
  • While Windows’ firewall is no match for most hardware firewalls, it isn’t a bad idea to leave enabled. There are other software firewalls available such as Zone Lab’s Zone Alarm, which will allow you to fully customize any and all access to and from your computer over the internet.
  • It is generally believed that antivirus software will slow your computer down. This is true. Some applications are worst than others. AVG is known to be very good and will only slow your computer down when gathering new files (so for most gaming situations, it shouldn’t affect anything).
  • If all-else fails, reformat the computer. Then there is no risk that your computer is still contaminated. Once reformatted, install all windows updates (starting with SP2 if your CD does not already have it), be sure to check the update site (windowsupdate.com) multiple times after each update/restart; some updates are dependent on others, so they won’t show up until you have the first set of updates installed. Second thing to do is install antivirus software, then all applications.


Warnings


  • Stay safe on the internet. Not everyone is trying to help you. Many anti-malware programs listed on the internet contain malware themselves. Stay with applications which are recommended by reputable sources.
  • If you have adware or other type of malware on your computer which keeps telling you to download or buy a program to rid yourself of malware, chances are the program you’d be purchasing is a mal-ware program. Find an alternate way to remove that pop up.
  • Be careful with firewalls and browser settings. While high settings may allow you protect your computer from virus, malware and such, it can make internet browsing quite difficult as most sites may have difficultly loading under those settings.
  • Clicking on unknown popups is the cardinal sin of web surfing and is a sure-fire way to pick up some malware. Don't do it.


Things You'll Need


  • Definitions of what we will be dealing with.
  • Mozilla Firefox and other software.


Related wikiHows




Sources and Citations





Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Thwart Malware and Surf the Internet Safely. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-32: "How to Restore an iPod"


from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

How to Restore an iPod

Sometimes your iPod gets completely messed up, and a simple reset won't fix it. Blanking out your iPod and returning it to factory settings, ie restoring it, is often the only solution. Here is what you can do in times like this.

Steps

  1. Connect your iPod to your computer and attempt to sync your ipod.
  2. Backup all the files on your iPod onto your hard drive. Restoring your iPod will wipe out all your music.
  3. Download the latest version of iTunes from Apple.com. Since iTunes is set to update itself periodically, you probably already have the latest version already.
  4. From iTunes, click on your iPod name in the left navigation bar. It will bring you to the summary page.
  5. Click "Restore" on the updater and your iPod will restore itself to factory settings (also resulting in losing all of its music').
  6. Click the prompts to indicate that you really want to go through with this.
  7. Follow the instructions of the iTunes setup assistant. Let iTunes autofill it with music again and you will be set to go!

Tips

  • Make sure you use the iPod software or updater for your iPod model and it is the latest updater. If you do not know your model, go to the http://www.apple.com/" rel="nofollow">Apple website and you will be able to figure it out easily.
  • Restore only if you absolutely need to. Note: Restoring is not the same as reformatting the Hard Drive. Never reformat the hard drive unless instructed to!
  • For more information on restoration and troubleshooting with your iPod, consult the "iPod Help" option under the "Help" menu in iTunes.

Warnings

  • Performing a restore will erase everything on your iPod! Make sure you have your iPod music either stored on iTunes or backed up on an external hard drive or somewhere where you can get your music back.
  • When the iPod requests power give it to your iPod and do not disconnect it until the progressbar is gone. If you do so and your iPod battery runs flat during this process your iPod will end up being an expensive paperweight (Read: It's broken)!

Things You'll Need

  • iPod
  • Computer
  • Backed Up Songs

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Restore an iPod. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.