Windows 8: Built-in Command Line Network Utilities

Below is a list of command line network utilities that come with Windows that are used for troubleshooting network problems. The problem with these utilities is that they're not very intuitive until you learn to understand what you're looking at.

For example, the PING command is for checking if a remote computer or device is network accessible (note: this can be block by the device's firewall). The IPCONFIG command displays information about the  computer's TCP/IP configuration, such as its IP address.

To access these utilities utilizing the command prompt, from the Start screen, type CMD and press Enter. To exit the command prompt, close the window or type EXIT and press enter.  For more information and options on any of the commands below, use the "/?" switch at the end of them (e.g. PING /?).

PING [hostname]

Example : ping example.com
Preforms a basic network test to check  communication with a remote device. 

TRACERT [hostname]

Example: traceroute example.com
Shows the path and the number of routers (aka 'network hops') that the data passes through to arrive to the destination, if a connection is broken, this will show where it could be happening.

IPCONFIG

Example : ifconfig
Shows the basic TCP/IP network configuration for the computer, such as the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.

NSLOOKUP [hostname]

Example: nslookup example.com
Displays the remote IP address assigned to a domain name based on the DNS information. This is a good test to make sure that the DNS connection is working properly.

Below is an example of the output:

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: example.com
Address: 192.0.34.166

NETSTAT [options]

Example: netstat -nt
Displays the current TCP/IP based connections established on the computer. This is handy to see the remote TCP/IP connections the system is using. 

TELNET [hostname] [port]

Example: telnet example.com 80
Provides a simple terminal session with another computer to perform different tasks, such as remote device administration or running text based applications. This utility can also be used for doing basic troubleshooting on HTTP, SMTP, and other text based  services.

ARP [options]

Example: arp -a
Shows and manages the local computer's address translation tables

NBTSTAT [options]

Example: nbtstat -n
Shows protocol statistics for NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP) connections.

NETSH [options]

Example: netsh interface show interface
Manages local or remote network configurations.

NET [options]

Example: net view
Displays or configures advanced network and system settings.

NLTEST [options]

Example: nltest /query
Tests the secure channels between a Windows computer in a domain and domain controllers.

PATHPING [hostname]

Example: pathping example.com
Functions similarly to TRACERT command but also reports information about network latency and loss at each router.

GETMAC [options]

Example: getmac
Displays the MAC addresses for the NIC(s) attached to the computer.

HOSTNAME 

Example: hostname
Shows the network name of the local computer.

ROUTE [options]

Example: route print
Displays and manages the local computers network routing tables.

Windows 8: Prevent Windows Update's Automatic Rebooting

It's annoying if the computer is left on at night with unsaved work on it, then come back to it in the morning and find that it was rebooted.

When new patches are downloaded and installed on the computer by Windows Update (if its enabled) this feature will automatically reboot the system. So if there's any unsaved work, it will be lost.

To prevent Windows Update from performing this action, follow the instructions below:

Note: This tip requires modifying the Windows Registry so proceed at your own risk.

• Open the Windows Registry Editor, from the Search field under the Start screen, type "REGEDIT" and press the Enter key.
• Navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU (note: manually create some of these keys.)
• Right-click an empty space in the right pane and select New > DWORD value.
• Name the new value NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers
• Set the value in the field to 1, press the OK button.
• Close the registry editor when done. 

Windows 8: Stupid PC Tricks - Show Desktop

Note: "Stupid PC Tricks" are a series of user tips that I think are interesting, but unfortunately they're not all that useful.

Since Windows XP, you could press the WinKey + D on the keyboard to show the desktop.  Before that you had a shortcut that used to come with Windows that you could launch with your mouse.

Below are instructions on how to recreate the shortcut icon.

Open NOTEPAD.EXE, and paste the following code into it.

[Shell]Command=2IconFile=explorer.exe,3[Taskbar]Command=ToggleDesktop

Press the Ctrl+S to bring up the save dialog.  Select where you want to save the file.
Give the file name of Show DESKTOP.SCF, change the Save as type drop-down menu to: All files (*.*)
Press the Save button

Double-click the icon to hide the desktop, double-click it again to show the desktop.

Note: The icons are still available on your system at: "%userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch"

Windows 8: Create a Pseudo Start Menu in the Taskbar

One of the first things people notice in Windows 8 is the omission of the Start menu from the desktop. There are several 3rd party replacements for this feature available on the Internet.

Personally, I like to limit the installation of any extra software installed on my system (this is my preference).

If you find this annoying, but don't want to install a 3rd party replacement. You can create a pseudo Start menu by creating a new toolbar in the taskbar.

All you have to do is right-click the taskbar, and select Toolbars > New Toolbar, then paste in the follow path in to the file dialog box: %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

In the taskbar towards the right you will see the word Programs with two little ">>" (greater then signs) next to it. Click the little ">>" (greater then signs), and you should see all your installed desktop programs.

Windows 8: How to install Windows Media Center (or an Alternative)

One feature (or really lack there of) in Windows 8 users might find annoying is the inability to playback DVDs or Blu-ray discs under the new OS.  In Windows 7 this used to be an included feature depending on the edition of the OS you had installed.

If you're running Windows 8 standard edition you will have to rely on a 3rd party software.  For DVDs, you can download and run VLC [free], or some other available media player software.  For Blu-ray discs you're going to have to rely on some other 3rd party media player software.

If you're running Windows 8 Professional edition, you can download the Windows Media Center feature, which is now a paid feature called "Windows 8 Media Center Pack" add-on (which allows you to watch and record TV and play DVDs).

There are a few things that you need to know about The Windows 8 Media Center Pack:

• This feature adds all the original Windows Media Center functionality back to Windows 8 Pro which includes the ability to watch and record broadcast TV and play DVDs. 
• Note: The DVD playback option is not supported in the Windows Media Player which is included with the OS.
• If you want to play Blu-rays in Windows Media Center, you will need to get the appropriate CODEC from a third-party.

To install the "Windows 8 Media Center Pack" add-on, follow the instructions below:

• Press the Windows Key, then type: "add features" in the search box, and then tap or click the Settings icon.
• Tap or click "Add features to Windows 8".
• If you already received your product key from Microsoft, then tap or click "I already have a product key", then follow the prompts.
• If you don't already have a product key from Microsoft, then tap or click "I want to buy a product key online", then follow the prompts.
• Enter a product key and then press Next button.
• After reading the license terms, select the check box to accept the license terms, and then press Add features button.

Windows 8: Creating a Master Control Panel

You can create what I like to call the "Master Control Panel" (it is also known as GodMode).  I think the secondary term over emphasizes the real utility of this window.  Basically it displays all control panels, troubleshooting tips and more in one window.

It’s a hidden feature that remains available in previous versions of Windows OS (I know this trick works on Windows 7, I am not sure if it works before that).

To access this feature, you have to right-click an empty area of the desktop and select New > Folder. Highlight this folder and press F2, then type: MasterPanel.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} and press the [Enter] key. Double-click the folder icon to view its contents.

Windows 8: Stupid PC Tricks - Windows Switcher

Note: "Stupid PC Tricks" are a series of user tips that I think are interesting, but unfortunately they're not all that useful.

You have always been able to press ALT-TAB to switch between applications.  Way back in Windows 95 and later, there was a shortcut in the Quick Launch bar that could activate the Windows Task Switcher.

Below are instructions on how to recreate the shortcut icon.

• Create a new shortcut (right-click the desktop, select New > Shortcut)
• In the Type the location of the item field, type: %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90E-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}, and then press the Next button.
• In the Type the name of the shortcut field, type: Windows Switcher, and then press the Finish button.

Note: The icons are still available on your system at: "%userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch"

Windows 8: Boot Configuration Utilities

Back in the days of Windows NT there was a BOOT.INI file that was used for controlling which OS Windows would load and what start-up options would be used.

In Windows Vista, Microsoft replaced the older BOOT.INI file with a new architecture called the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store.

The only time you really want to modify the BCD store is if you want to change the Windows startup options for diagnostic reasons, or if there's a need to multi-boot the system with more then one OS (e.g. Windows, Linux, etc.)

Warning: Use extreme caution when using any of these tools as they can easily make the system unbootable by changing the wrong configuration setting.

Below is a list of built-in utilities for managing the BCD store:

• MSCONFIG.EXE (A GUI tool for modifying the BCD store)
• BCDEDIT.EXE (A command line tool for modifying the BCD store)
• More information
• BCDBOOT.EXE (A command line tool for managing system partition files)
• More information

Windows 8: Reset vs. Refreshing Windows

In the past when the operating system was giving you problems (e.g. corrupted system files, malware, bad drivers, etc.) you had two choices. Find the original installation disk to try to repair the OS or format the hard drive and do a clean install.

Windows 8 now makes it easy for you to repair a broken operating system by returning it to its original state.  By going to the Setting menu, click the Change PC Settings link, then select General. Scroll to the bottom of the side window, and you'll see two options: Refresh your PC without affecting your files and Remove everything and re-install Windows.

Summary: Refresh vs. Reset:

• Refresh: Keeps customizations, personal files (music, photos, and other documents), and Windows 8 installed apps, and doesn't format before re-installing the OS.  This option returns the operating system to its factory-default settings and removes third-party application that were installed
• Note: all applications that were not installed via the Windows Store will be deleted.
• Tip: It never hurts to make sure that you have a good backup of all your data before using this option.
• Reset: Re-formats the hard drive and re-installs the OS to its factory-default settings   It doesn't keep any customizations , data, or applications.
• Warning: Make sure to backup all your data before using this option.

Additional Notes:
The RECIMG.EXE is a command line tool that allows the creation of a custom recovery image for Windows when the Refresh your PC option is utilized. The recovery images do not contain the users personal documents, settings, user profile information, or apps from the Windows Store, because that information is preserved when the PC is refreshed.

This tool requires administrator privileges to execute.  For more information on how to use this type RECIMG.EXE /? at the command prompt and press the Enter key.

Windows 8: Creating an All Applications Folder

I will admit right off this feature is not pretty, but if you like to explore all the different aspects of your system you might find this one interesting.  This tip involves creating an applications folder on the desktop that gives you quick access to all the programs installed on your computer (both native Windows 8 and desktop applications)

• Open the File Explorer, then navigate to the Desktop (or anywhere else you want) and create a new empty folder (press Ctrl+Shift+N).
• Rename the new folder (click the folder and press F2): All Applications.{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1} (Note: the first part of the name before the period can be anything you want) 

When you open the folder it will list all applications installed on your computer in one window.

Windows 8: The Best and Quickest Way Shutdown (Restart or Hibernate) Windows

I have to admit when I first started using Windows 8 and tried to shut it down for the first time I was a little frustrated. Even after I learned how to properly shutdown the system, I wasn't really happy with any method I found, until I came up with the solution below.

Utilizing a built-in feature of the Windows application shortcut you can execute any of these operations with shortcut keys. This feature is mostly forgotten, and has literally been around for decades.

• On an empty area of the Windows desktop, right-click and select New > Shortcut. When the 'Create Shortcut' dialog box appears, type shutdown /s /t 0 and press the Next button.
• to restart the computer, use: shutdown /r /t 0 
• to hibernate the computer, use: shutdown /h /t 0
• to log-off of the current session, use: logout 
• Give the shortcut a name, and then press the Finish button. 
• Right-click the new shortcut icon, and select Properties.
• In the Properties window, click in the box next to the Shortcut key.  Type in your desired shortcut. For example, press CTRL+ALT+S (or anything else you want, personally I use CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+S to help avoid accidentally shutting down the computer).
• Press the OK button. 

Now all you have to do is press the shortcut key you created, and the computer will perform the operation you selected. To delete the keyboard shortcut, open its file properties dialog box click the box next to 'Shortcut key', and press the Delete key.

Note: This trick can be used on just about any application shortcut, and in most versions of Windows.

Bonus Tip: another quick way to shutdown Windows is to click an empty area of the desktop and press ALT+F4.

Internet Explorer 10: Built-in Security and Privacy Features

The web browser is the number one attack surface criminals are using to infect your computer or steal private information.  None of the security and privacy technologies built into any browser are perfect, and will keep you safe at all times.  The bad guys are updating their tools and exploits all the time to try to circumvent these protections.

Internet criminals use weaknesses in a browser or its extensions to execute malicious code on the local computer. Although, by keeping your browser and extensions up-to-date.  Also limiting the number of extensions you install to the bare minimum, you can help protect your computer and your privacy.

In the past Internet Explorer had a bad reputation for being vulnerable to these types of attacks.  Microsoft has worked hard to clean up Internet Explorer's reputation in the last few years.  For more information see the following report from NSS Labs.

Below is a list the more well known Internet Explorer 10's built-in security and privacy features:

• Tracking Protection: Helps filters out scripts and files that can track you online (more info).
• Tools, Safety menu, Tracking Protection...
• SmartScreen: Filters malicious web sites and content
• Tools, Safety menu, Turn on SmartScreen filters...
• Disables Flash extensions: Disables the Flash plug-ins by default when a web page is loaded.
• Note: IE has two interfaces, desktop which supports add-ons, and the touch screen native interface that doesn't.
• InPrivacy Browsing: Doesn't record the browsing history (cookies, visited sites, etc.).
• Press: Ctrl + Shift + P
• Delete Browser History: Automatically purges the browser's history when exiting.
• Internet Options, check the Delete browsing history on exit checkbox
• Security Zone: Enables or disables browser features based on the site's URL
• Tools, Internet Options, Security tab
• Privacy Settings: Controls how cookies are handled by the browser.
• Tools, Internet Options, Privacy tab 
• Family Safety: Controls what content different users can view.
• Tools, Internet Options, Content tab, press the Family Safety button
• Password Manager: Stores usernames and passwords for different sites.
• Tools, Internet Options, Content tab, press the Setting button in the AutoComplete section.
• Popup Blocker: Prevents web sites from spawning popup windows.
• Tools, Internet Options, Privacy tab, press the Setting button in the Pop-up Blocker section.
• More information.

Some additional security/privacy suggestions:

• If you use Java regularly make sure to keep it up-to-date, otherwise consider uninstalling it.
• The built-in Reader app in Windows 8 can display PDFs, so you don't need a 3rd party application.
• Install CCCleaner, it purges private information better then the built-in tools.

Software: Controlling Your PC with Hand Gesture

A company called eyeSight offers software that allows you to control your PC using hand gestures without the use of special hardware (such as the LeapMotion). The eyeSight software utilizes the camera that that is attached to your PC or already built into your laptop.

Note: I have not used this product, so I am not aware of its true advantages or limitations. This information is provided for reference only.

Windows 8: Disabling the Lock Screen

In Windows 8 the lock screen is enabled by default. For some people this is an annoyance rather then a feature. If you want to disable this feature and display the Start screen automatically when you turn on the computer, follow the instructions below:

• Open the Start screen, or press WinKey+R to open the Run command dialog 
• Type "netplwiz.exe" press enter, or launch the app when it is displayed. 
• Select the user account you want to automatically be logged into. 
• Uncheck the item: Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer. 
• Press the OK button, you'll be prompted to enter the password twice. 

Next time when you start up the computer, you will not be prompted with a password. To re-enable the lock screen just run the program netplwiz.exe again, and re-check the item: Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer, and then press the OK button.

Note: If you use this feature, your password will be stored in the registry as plain text.

Windows 8: Advanced Windows Calculator Tricks (Advanced Functions)

The Windows Calculator is one of those features that has been around for a long, long time.  For the most part it gets unnoticed until you need to do some basic calculations.  

To quickly bring up the calculator, from the Start screen type CALC and select the calculator icon, or from the Run... command (WinKey + R) type: CALC.EXE.

When you first start-up calculator it will look like it always does, with just the basic features. To access the more advanced modes (such as the unit or date conversion, and worksheets), open up the File menu or use the keyboard shortcuts below:

Available calculator modes: 

• ALT+1: Standard
• ALT+2: Scientific
• ALT+3: Programmer
• ALT+4: Statistics
• CTRL+H: Enable the history feature
• CTRL+U: Unit Conversion
• CTRL+E: Date Conversion 

Note: To access the mortgage, vehicle lease and fuel economy worksheets, from the File menu, select Worksheets then select the one you want to use.  To revert the calculator back to its default functionality, press CTRL+F4.

Bonus Tip: It is pretty easy to assign a special key combination to the calculator's shortcut (just right-click the program's icon (in the File Explore, go to "%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\" and select Calculator.lnk) select Properties, and click in the Shortcut Key field, then assign a keyboard combination such as Ctrl + Alt + C, and then press the OK button)

Video: The Inbox (Internet Scams in Real Life) [Comedy]

What Internet scams could look like in real life.  Remember: be careful what you click.

Windows 8 vs. Windows To Go, What You Need to Know?

"Windows To Go" is a new feature included in Windows 8 Enterprise edition that allows for the creation of a   "portable bootable Windows workspace" on a USB flash drive.  This workspace is designed to store your OS, applications, and data on a single device that can be easily moved between computers.

Since these drives are fully self contained, no data is written to the host computer.  This prevents the accidental loss of data because it was stored on another computer.

Unfortunately this feature is not available in other editions of Windows 8.  Its worth noting the Windows 8 Enterprise edition is only sold to Microsoft Volume Licence customers.

Windows To Go operates just like any other installation of Windows with a few exceptions that are listed below:

• The hibernate and sleep features are disabled by default to help prevent accidental data corruption. 
• Drives attached to the host computer are not available to prevent data from being written to them. 
• The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) can't be used because its hardware specific  
• When  BitLocker Drive Encryption is implemented, a pre-OS boot password is utilized. 
• The Windows Recovery Environment, OS Refresh and Reset features are disabled. 
• Access to the Windows Store is disabled because apps licensed through the store are linked to hardware for their licensing.

System requirements to run Windows To Go:

• The host computer has to be certified to run Windows 7 or 8.
• A Microsoft certified USB flash drive, that has 32GB or more of storage.

Windows 8: Ultimate Windows Command Line Reference (Updated)

Are you looking for an updated high-level up-to-date reference of all the built-in command line tools and utilities that are available in the current version of Windows?  Check out the following article, its almost everything any Windows power-user or systems administrator will need to know about the built-in command line tools and utilities.

Windows 8: Naming a Tile Group

In the new Windows 8 Start menu, you may have figured out that you can arrange icons into what are called Tile Groups. Which is exactly what the name says, a group of icons that are arranged together for a specific purpose (e.g. Office applications, Image Editing, etc.).

If you're wondering how to name these tile groups there is a little trick that you have to know. Follow the instructions below:

• Press the WinKey to bring up the Start screen. 
• Press the minus sign icon in the lower right hand corner (this will zoom out all the icons). 
• Note: for touch screens you can use the reverse pinching gesture or you can hold down the Ctrl + Scroll wheel 
• Right-click on the tile group that you want to name (this will select the tile group). 
• In the application bar at the bottom of the screen, press "Name Group" button. 
• A small dialog will popup with a Name field. Enter a name for a group, and press the enter key or the name button.

Windows 8: Administrator Command Prompt Shortcut

If you do a lot of troubleshooting or system diagnostics you will end up working in the administrator command prompt often. Most people might right-click the Command Prompt shortcut icon and then select the Run as administrator option.

Other tricks for starting the command prompt in administrator mode include, from the Run... command or the Start screen you can type CMD and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.

However, there is an easy way to modify the command prompt shortcut so always start administrator mode.

• Right-click the Command Prompt icon shortcut and select Properties.
• On the Shortcut tab and press the Advanced... button.
• Check the Run as administrator checkbox and then press the OK button.
• Press the button again.

When this shortcut is used it will start the Command Prompt with administrative permissions.

Windows 8: Windows Keyboard Shortcuts for the Taskbar

Below are Windows keyboard shortcuts for the taskbar that work in Windows 8 desktop mode (this tip is backwards compatible with Windows 7).  These shortcuts allow you to access items pinned to the taskbar or any desktop application that is currently running that has its icon in this area.

• WinKey + (Number): Windows automatically assigns keyboard shortcuts to programs in the taskbar on the desktop. To access them, use the WinKey+the number position of the program in the order it appears there.
•  For example, if Internet Explorer is the first icon in your taskbar by pressing WinKey+1 it will open it. If the Windows Explorer is the second icon in your taskbar by pressing WinKey+2 it will open it. 
• WinKey + Shift + (Number): Opens a new instance of the program associate with the WinKey + number position. So if you had one instance of Internet Explorer running this would open up a new copy of the application in memory. 
• WinKey + Ctrl + (Number): Switches to the last instance of that program associated with that WinKey + number position. 
• WinKey + Alt + (Number): Opens the jump menu of the program associated with that WinKey + number position. 

More: Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

Video: Get To Know Windows 8

Video description: "New to Windows 8? This video has all you need to get up to speed."

Video: Windows 8 Leap Motion in Action

I have been following Leap Motion for what feels like forever.  I wonder if it has the potential to help Windows 8 really take off.

Using Windows 8 is okay when using it with a mouse, but its even better with a touchscreen.  With a Leap Motion type of device you have the possibility of having a user interface like 'Minority Report'.

Although, I am prepared to be underwhelmed, but I would like to hope for the best.  It seems these days that most products can't live up to our expectations, but it doesn't make the technology any less cool.

Video description: "It's what we've always envisioned for Leap Motion — to break down the barriers between people and technology. Here's a video to show you how close we are. With Leap Motion technology, Windows OS is natural, easy, and fun to use. You'll navigate your desktop, browse the web, flip through photos, and do everything you do everyday in extraordinary ways —all with the wave of a hand or lift of a finger."

Windows 8: Charm Keyboard Shortcuts

Native Windows 8 applications don't have the traditional drop-down menus (such as File, Edit, etc.) like older desktop applications. Windows 8 apps use the "charms" side menu and the application bar (swipe up from the bottom on a touch screen or press the WinKey+Z) for these features.

The charm menus can be accessed sliding your finger to the left from the right-side of the touchscreen display, or by moving the mouse to the lower or upper right corner of the screen. There are also keyboard shortcuts for accessing these charms directly:

• WinKey + C: Displays the Charms menu on the right side of the screen. 
• From here you can access the Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings menus. 
• WinKey + F: Performs a file search.
• Windows will search for all documents that match the keywords entered.
• WinKey + H: Opens the Sharing charm menu.
•  Allows the sharing of content with people or applications that support this feature.
• WinKey + I: Opens the Setting charm menu. 
• Modify the current application or Start screen application and feature settings.
• WinKey + K: Opens the Device charm menu. 
• Allows you to send content to another device such as a printer.

More: Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

Article: Which browser is safest? The answer may surprise you

Below is an article that I found this morning: "Web browsers are one of the main ways that malware finds its way onto your machine. Tests carried out by NSS Labs looked at the five major players, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Internet Explorer to see which offers the best protection against more than 700 examples of real-world malware.

And the safest is... (Drum roll and a long, reality TV-style pause...) Internet Explorer 10, blocking 99.96 percent of known malicious downloads." (read the rest of the article)

For years Internet Explorer has been lambasted by the press for being insecure. Unfortunately I will have to let its "track record" speak for itself.

Over the last few years Microsoft  put in a lot of energy to improve this application.  What is interesting is that Firefox and Chrome were considered more secure then IE for a long time, but unfortunately over the last few years their security enhancements have been falling behind.

Windows 8: Built-In Applications

Windows 8 comes with several new built-in applications that provide access to a variety of different types of content (news, sports, and weather) and services (email, storage, and more).  The following is an excerpt from the article: "Windows 8 comes with the following built-in touch-optimized applications out-of-the box (meaning that they're installed by default). These apps can perform several different types of functions from managing your digital communications (email, IM, etc.) to browsing the different types of content (movies, videos, pictures, etc.) on your local system.

As I talked about in an earlier article, there are two types of applications available for Windows 8. There are the older desktop applications that are installed by using optical media or by downloading it off the Internet. Then there are the native Windows 8 apps that are written to take advantage of the new Windows UI." (read the rest of the article)

Windows 8: New Features of the OS

As I stated in a previous post, I am working on a series of articles about Windows 8.  This is my second article in the series that briefly explains most of the major new features of the operating system.

Below is an excerpt from the article: 

• "Secure Boot: This is one of the more controversial features of the new operating system especially for Linux users who dual boot their system. This feature is only available on Windows 8 certified computers. The way the UEFI secure boot feature works is that it only allows signed operating systems to boot, this prevents unauthorized code from loading which could contain malware.
• Faster Booting: Windows 8 boots faster because it uses a technique of partially hibernating the system kernel when the computer is shut down. When the system is booted, the ‘memory state’ of the previous session gets reinitialized more quickly."  (read the rest of the article)

Windows 8: Introduction to the New OS

I am going to be doing a series of articles on Windows 8, and this is my first article that explains how to use the new Windows operating system. This article focuses on providing a brief background of the product and an explanation of the two different platforms and versions of Windows that are available.

Below is an excerpt from the article: "If you're a new user to Windows 8, one of the first things you might ask is, "where's the Start menu". Microsoft had to do away with the Start menu and create the Start screen because the world is become more reliant on mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and touchscreen laptops. ...

The traditional Windows metaphor such as the Start Menu (and several others: such as windowed applications, drop-down menus, etc.) don't lend themselves well to the newer mobile device technologies like high resolution touchscreens that don't support a standard keyboard and mouse. " (read the rest of the article)

Deal: Get a Free Month of Hulu Plus

Hulu Plus gives you more access to popular movies and TV shows on Hulu. For a limited-time, the site is offering a one month free trial of the Hulu Plus service to new customers.  Normally the free trial is only for one week.

It's important to note a credit card is required to complete the sign up, and according to the site the offer is only available for a few more days.

Article: Integrate a custom Shutdown menu into the Windows 8 Desktop context menu

I found this tip on another site, and I thought it was too cool not to share. This article discusses how to create a custom context menu for shutting down (restarting, hibernating, etc.) your computer. Its also a pretty good introduction to creating your own customized context menus for other tasks.

Note: This requires modifying the registry, so this tip is not for those who don't know what they're doing. So use this information at your own risk.

The image below is an example of what the context menu looks like (note: the menu wording, commands and the icons are customizable) .  Read the article to understand how it works.

Towards the bottom of the article there is a link to some registry files that will install (or uninstall) the menu.  See the "Using the Reg files" section of the article for more information.

Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 (Free Beta Download)

Are you a photographer that uses Adobe Photoshop Lightroom?  If you work with RAW image files (uncompressed image files that contain all the color data from the camera's CCD sensor) this tool is a must have.

Its also one of the best photo management suites available.  It provides great tools for managing your images, and making corrections or other adjustments to your photographs.

Adobe is offering a free download of the Lightroom 5 beta.  If you don't know what a beta is, its a pre-released version of an application that's generally incomplete, which means it could have a lot of bugs in it.

Company's release beta versions of their applications to allow people to try out the next generation version of their software. This also helps them find bugs in it before its released to the general public.

Windows 8: Microsoft Movie Maker

Do you have some videos from your smartphone or from another device that you would like to edit into one continuous video?  Maybe you want to add titles, video effects or a sound track to a movie that you created.

Microsoft Movie Maker (download) is an easy to use application that allows you to import create or edit picture slide shows and videos.  You can move things around, speed it up or slow it down, edit the soundtrack and add a theme Movie Maker also adds transitions and effects automatically so your movie looks more professional.

Then once it's finished, the application makes it easy to post it online via Facebook, YouTube or other social networking and video sharing sites.

Windows 8: Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT)

If you manage Windows servers in a small lab or a large data center, then you need the Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 (download). This tool enables system administrators to manage roles and features that are installed on remote computers that are running Windows Server 2012, 2008 R2, and 2008 (all versions).

NOTE: In this release of Remote Server Administration Tools all the tools are enabled by default. There is no need to enable them by using the Turn Windows features on or off dialog in Windows 8.

To remove tools that you don't want to use, follow the instructions below:

• On the desktop, hover in the upper right corner of the screen, and then click Settings, then click the  Control Panel.
• Click Programs, and then in Programs and Features, click the Turn Windows features on or off link.
• In the Windows Features dialog box, expand Remote Server Administration Tools, and then expand either Role Administration Tools or Feature Administration Tools.
• Clear the check boxes for any tools that you want to remove. Press the OK button, and then close the Control Panel window.

Article: Choose the right password manager to protect your accounts

One of the first rules to securing your accounts today is having a unique password for all of them.  With so many unique credentials it's next to impossible for the average person to remember them. This is why a good password manager is so important, it allows you to safely store and retrieve these electronic credentials.

I have been meaning to write an article about password managers. I recently came across the following article in BetaNews.  Here is an excerpt, "Here’s the contradiction: you need secure, unique and hard-to-remember passwords to protect your online (and offline) accounts from being hacked. However, remembering those secure, unique and hard-to-remember passwords is another matter entirely. Thankfully there is a solution, and it’s called a password manager." (read the rest of the article)

One piece of advice, whatever password manager you choose make sure that your data file is backed up.

Browsers: Identify Resource-Hogging Add-ons

Extensions and add-ons, can both enhance and cripple your browser. The right ones can extend the functionality of the browser, but too many bog it down.

To help identify resource-hogging extensions Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome include built-in utilities for troubleshooting these add-ons.

Depending on the browser you're using, type the following command into the address bar:

• Mozilla Firefox 
• about:addons-memory 
• Google Chrome 
• chrome://memory-redirect/

Windows 8: File History

Have you ever accidentally deleted or over-written a file that contained important information?  Windows 8 has a feature called "File History" that automatically saves older versions of your files so that they can be restore later.

Unfortunately, this feature is not enabled by default.  To turn it on you have to open the System and Security control panel.  This feature does require a second drive (such as an: internal, external or a network drive) in order to use it.  Open Advanced settings, set how often you would like the system to back up your files and how long it should keep them.

After the feature is enabled, Windows will backup the files in the background.  If you need to recover a file, open the File History control panel click the Restore personal files link then select the file from the list.

Internet: How fast is your ISP (Netflix ISP Speed Index)

Have you ever wondered how fast your ISP really is compared to others? Check out Netflix's ISP Speed Index to find out.

There probably are other sites that offer this information (to be honest I didn't really care to check), but Netflix is one of the few sources I think can give impartial and accurate information.

So if you want to see how well your current ISP rates compared to others.  Or, if you're looking to find or change ISPs, I would check out this site.

Windows 8: Downloading the Windows 8 ISO File

Windows 8 was the first version of Windows that I upgraded and I didn't preform a clean install.  I utilized Microsoft's online upgrade offer that allowed you to install the upgraded version of the OS over the Internet.

The only problem with this option was I didn't get a copy of the media. I at least wanted a copy of the ISO file (a file that contains a image of the CD or DVD that can be burned to a physical disk with the right optical drive and media) so I can make a DVD if I need to.

If you want to download the Windows ISO, go to the following page (Upgrade to Windows 8 with only a product key).  Press the Install Windows 8 button on the web page, and download the Installer.

Make sure to have your Windows 8 product key ready, enter the information into the field and then press the Next button.  The application will display the version of Windows that your eligible to download, and press the Next button.

After a few minutes of downloading and processing files, the installer will ask you how you want to install the OS.  Select the Install by creating media option, and then press the Next button.  Select the ISO file option, and then press the Save button.

Article: Leap Motion Controller starts shipping May 13th, hits Best Buy on the 19th

Excerpt from article: "If you were still thinking that the Leap Motion Controller was going to turn into vaporware, it looks like you were wrong. Just less than a year after the company first made waves with its tiny gesture recognizing box, a finished product is getting ready to ship." (read the rest of the article)

Removing Viruses (and other types of malware)

To put it simply getting hit by malware (e.g. viruses, Trojan horses, worms, etc.) sucks.  Sometimes it can be caused by doing something simple or not very obvious or other times it can be caused by doing something dumb.  As the old cliche goes, "There is no use crying over spilt milk because it only makes it sour for the cat".

All you can do is try to clean up what you can.  Modern malware can be virulent depending on the strain that attacked your machine.  Try to figure out how you were hit, did you open an email attachment, click a link on a website, download a file from the Internet and run it, etc.?  Try to learn from the mistake if you can.

Warning: Follow the advice in this article at your own risk, the author is not responsible for any type of damage (or other type of consequences) that can be caused by following the advice in this document.  Make sure you have a good backup of your data before proceeding with any of the information below.

Cleaning Up From a Malware Attack
The problem with modern malware, is its designed to be difficult to remove.  In most cases you have two choices.  One, if you're extremely paranoid and have lots of time you can format your hard drive and re-install your operating system (warning: before doing this make sure that you have a good backup of your data, and have product keys, OS media disk, any special drivers you need, and copies of your applications).  Two, if you're not extremely paranoid or don't have you lots of time, you can try some of the following things:

• Make sure your reputable real-time anti-malware application (beware of rouge and fake versions of these products, if you have never heard of the company before then you might not want to trust it) is working, and up-to-date, then run a scan of your computer and see if its detect anything. 
• If you don't have a real-time anti-malware application download and install Microsoft Security Essentials
• You can also download and run a stand-alone anti-malware scanner to get a second opinion such as: Microsoft Safety Scanner, or Malwarebytes (note: its sometime better to use scanner from a different vendor to get an accurate second opinion.).
• When utilizing these tools, its advisable to reboot your computer into Safe Mode (press F8 several times during start-up, and select "Safe Mode") and run them.
• Change web site passwords that have been effected or are critical accounts (e.g. work, financial related, etc.).
• Run Windows Update and make sure your operating system software and applications are up-to-date.
• You can install the Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) to help make sure you keep your non-Microsoft applications up-to-date.
• I would also recommend uninstalling All versions of Java and Adobe Acrobat reader
• Malware often utilizes vulnerabilities in these applications.  
• There are some applications you may need that utilize Java.  If you must keep it, uninstall all the old versions, and make sure you're using the most up-to-date version 
• Make sure your Flash plug-in is up-to-date.
• If your Flash plug-in is not up-to-date, download and install the latest version
• Its also a good idea to make sure that you have a good backup of all your data.
• For more advanced user, you might want to check your HOST file and DNS settings (see below) to make sure that they were not modified.
• Checking your DNS configuration settings
• In the Start menu search field, type Network Connections and select View network connections.
• In the Network Connections window, right-click a connection that needs an alternate IP address configuration (e.g., Local Area Connection) and select Properties.
• In the Properties dialog box, on the Networking tab, scroll down and click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4) and press the Properties button.
• In the General tab, enter the information for the main network you use (such as a static IP, subnet mask, default gateway and DNS server information).
• I would also recommend setting up an alternate trusted DNS provider, such as OpenDNS and Google Public DNS.
• Sometimes malware can also install applications that auto-start when your system boots, use System Internals Autoruns to view all programs that are executed at start-up.  Review all the applications for suspicious entries.
• Sometimes malware will also install applications to get executed under certain conditions by the Task Scheduler.  From the Start menu search field type: Task Scheduler, and review all the task for suspicious entries.
• Malware is getting smart enough to leverage web site settings in Twitter (e.g. Twitter Oauth) and Facebook (e.g. Facebook Login) because of their support for authentication and setting up application trust for third party web sites. To prevent this from happening to you, review the settings in your profile and unauthorized any site or application that you don't trust.
• Utilizing this technology malware can log into other sites, and even post entries in other people's news streams.  Recently some malware was posting malicious links on a friend's Facebook profile from Twitter.  If someone clicked the link and their system was vulnerable their Facebook account would have been taken over too.
• There are going to be times where conventional malware removal techniques will not work, and will require the computer to be booted into safe mode or utilize a special boot media (e.g. flash drive or optical media) that can remove the virus from the operating system while its not active. One example of this type of tool is Windows Defender Offline.

This might not help the situation, but hopefully it will purge any copies of the malware that might be in temporary areas.

• Delete your browser cache (Internet Explore and Firefox, press Ctrl-Shift-Del)
• You might considering dumping your Restore Points, sometimes infected files can get backed up by this system process.
• Open the System control panel, click the System protection link. Select a drive, press the Configure button, then press the Delete button.
• Run the Disk Cleanup (Start menu > All programs > Accessories > System Tools), this will purge temporary file locations on the system.

Notes:

• Even after cleaning your computer with these methods there are no guarantees that its malware free.
• The links to the products in this document are for reference only, and they're not recommended or endorsed by the author.

Getting an "Access is denied." error when connecting to a share

Are you encountering a situation where you're getting an "Access is denied" error when connecting to a share on a machines in a workgroup.  For example, if you used following command:

net use * \\computername\d$ /user:computername\username password

Then you get the following error: 

System error 5 has occurred.

Access is denied.

Try running the following command (requires the administrator command prompt): 

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy /t REG_DWORD /d 1

To manually implement the change:

Warning: by modifying the registry you run the risk of damaging your operating system, only proceed if you know what you're doing.  The reader takes all responsibility for ANY damage or problems that may occur by following these instructions.

• Start the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE).
• If you get the UAC prompt, acknowledge it.
• Locate and then click the following registry sub-key:
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ System
• in the Edit menu, select New and then select DWORD (32-bit) value.
• In name field type LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy, and then press the Enter key.
• Right-click the LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy, and then press the Modify button.
• In the Value data box, type 1, and then press the OK button.
• Quit the registry editor. 

Troubleshooting Network Share Problems

Are you having a problem connecting to a Windows network share (e.g. \\computer_name\share_name) or the default administrator shares (e.g. \\computer_name\c$)?  This happens to computers on networks that are connected to a domain controller or local workgroup.

In my own personal experience has been that local workgroups are more unreliable then domain controller connected shares.  Below are tips to help troubleshoot this problem:

• Has there recently been any new updates or changes in the hardware, operating systems, software or configuration made on the client or remote computer?
• For example, were system or application updates installed
• Is the problem happening from one machine on your network or all the machines on your network?
• If its just one computer is having the a problem connecting to it, see if it having problems connecting to other computers.  If its just the one computer, reboot and try again.
• If multiple computers are having problems connecting to the share, then there could be an issue with the share's configuration or the file and print service on the remote computer.
• Are you having a problem with one or all the file shares on the computer?
• If you're having a problem with one share delete and recreate.
• If multiple shares are failing, it could be a problem with the network configuration or file and print service.
• Can you ping the computer? Its possible that the client is having problems communicating with the DNS servers or the network configuration or the local machine is not setup correctly
• Trying pinging the computer:
• Local Machine: ping localhost or ping 127.0.0.1
• If this doesn't work there is something wrong with the local machines network configuration  drivers, hardware or connection.
• DNS Name: ping machine_name
• FQDN: ping machine_name.example.com
• IP Address: ping 10.1.1.10
• Note: If you can't ping the machine with the DNS Name, try the FQDN, if that fails try the IP address.  If you are able to ping the machine with any of these, then try to use that method to connect to it: net use * \\machine_name.example.com
• Does the account have the right file and share permissions?
• If the account you're trying to use to connect doesn't have proper permission to file and share, then you're not going to be able to access the file.  Make sure to check them both.
• Make sure that no existing connections are preventing you from making a new connection.
• Open up the Windows explorer and clear all remote connections by right clicking them and selecting disconnect, also open up the command prompt and type "net use * /delete"
• Do you know that the account doesn't have a password or is the account locked?
• If you're using a workgroup account:
• Try resetting the account password to the account you're using to connect to the share.
• Try creating a different account, and setup the permissions, and try to access the share.
• On the remote computer make sure the share is setup correctly in the Computer Management console (COMPMGMT.MSC).
• Tip: In the Computer Management console kill off all Sessions connected to the share.
• Make sure the firewall ports are not blocked?
• If you can't connect to the network share, make sure the ports are open in the firewall and accessible by the remote computer.

Other considerations: 

• Windows 7 and higher 
• Try disabling or leaving the HomeGroup (in the Control Panel \ Network and Sharing Center \ HomeGroup)
• Check your "Advanced Sharing Settings" (in the Control Panel\Network and Sharing Center) in the Home and Work profile, make sure the "File and Printer sharing" is enabled.
• Make sure you're not using the Public profile  (in Control Panel\Network and Sharing Center), this setting blocks all ports.
• Workgroup vs. Domain
• Are both machines (local and remote) in the same workgroup or domain?
• Network configuration
• Was the network configuration changed (see IPCONFIG /ALL)
• Adapter configuration
• Are all the appropriate protocols enabled?
• Where there any changes to the HOST file
• Service configuration
• Did someone change the default ports?
• Network considerations:
• Other thing that can effect communication are: IPSEC, VLANs, IPv6, NAP (Network Access Protection), etc. talk to your network engineer about these issues.

Article: LibreOffice 4.0 arrives -- get it NOW!

LibraOffice is an offshoot of the OpenOffice open source project that split-off from the original project because of issues that they had with it (more information).

If you're looking for a free open source multi-platform office suite, this is one of the better ones.  I never found it as powerful as Microsoft Office, but if you're looking for a free office suite of tools this is the one I like to use.

betanews reported: "The Document Foundation released LibreOffice 4.0 FINAL. The open-source, cross-platform productitivty suite, which is based on OpenOffice, has evolved to the point where the developers are happy to assign a major new version number.

Version 4.0 includes a number of relatively minor new features, but the big changes will come under the hood, marking the first radical development in the program’s API since the app it was built on -- OpenOffice -- was first released. Other changes include support for Firefox Personas, integration with CMS and online storage providers, plus support for importing both Microsoft Publisher and the latest VISIO documents." (read the rest of the article)

Adobe issues emergency Flash update for attacks on Windows, Mac users |

Ars Technica reports: "Adobe Systems has released a patch for two Flash player vulnerabilities that are being actively exploited online to surreptitiously install malware, one in attacks that target users of Apple's Macintosh platform.

While Flash versions for OS X and Windows are the only ones reported to be under attack, Thursday's unscheduled release is available for Linux and Android devices as well. Users of all affected operating systems should install the update as soon as possible." (read the rest of the article)

• Download the latest version of Adobe Flash
• Check the version of Adobe Flash installed

Trick: Turning a browser into a notepad

I am not sure how often you can use this, but its still is a cool trick. By placing the following line (data:text/html, <html contenteditable>) of code into the address bar it will turn your browser window into a notepad.

I have tested this in the latest releases of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox and it worked fine.  It does not work in Internet Explorer, I have tested both versions 9 and 10.

For more information about this trick.

Article: Firefox to block content based on Java, Reader, and Silverlight

Ars Technica reports: "Mozilla engineers plan to disable Java, Adobe Reader, and Microsoft Silverlight capabilities in their flagship Firefox browser in a move aimed at improving security and performance. By default, Firefox will load content based on all three plugins only after users click an icon that explicitly permits it. The feature, known as click to play, was introduced late last year. Until now, it disabled out-of-date plugins to prevent hack attacks and browser crashing. Sometime soon, it will begin blocking all plug-ins except for the most recent version of Adobe Flash." (read the rest of the article)

I have stopped running Java and Adobe Acrobat Reader a long time ago, but I still use Silverlight for Netflix.  Personally I would like to see an end to all plug-ins, I think they can be useful, but offend create more problems (e.g. memory leaks, crashes, and performance issues).  I am looking forward to the greater adoption of standards based technology like HTML 5.

Video: Surface Windows 8 Pro Overview

Learn more about Surface Windows 8 Pro.

• http://www.facebook.com/Surface
• http://twitter.com/surface/
• http://www.microsoft.com/Surface

Article: Windows 8 Pro upgrade pricing will jump from $40 to $200 on Feb. 1

VentureBeat reports: "Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system is about to become a lot more expensive. An upgrade of Windows 8 Pro will go from costing $40 in a promotional offer to a much more expensive $200 at the beginning of February.  Microsoft offered up an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $40 to try to get consumers more interested in the OS. It claims 60 million licenses of Windows 8 have been sold to date, but we don’t know how many of those copies have actually been activated." (read the rest of the article)

If you're wanting to upgrade to Windows 8 and haven't yet, don't miss out on this deal.

Article: Kingston's HyperX Predator Flash Drive Is the Easiest Way To Misplace a Terabyte Of Data

Gizmodo has an article about a one terabyte flash drive that is available from Kingston, here is excerpt from it: "Last year at CES Victorinox surprised everyone with a one terabyte flash drive that the company estimated would sell for almost $3,000. It sounded too good to be true, and given there's been no sign of it since last January, it apparently was. So can Kingston fill the void left in our hearts with its new HyperX Predator one terabyte USB 3 flash drive? Let's hope so." (read the rest of the article)

Video: Hands On With The Lenovo Helix - CES 2013

First product that I have seen from CES 2013 that looks interesting (so far). I have been a big fan of the Lenovo Yoga since CES 2012. Now it's going to be tough for me to decide which one I want more, its a toss up between the Microsoft Surface Pro or the Lenovo Helix.

Free ebook: Introducing Windows 8: An Overview for IT Professionals

Microsoft is offering a free book called "Introducing Windows 8: An Overview for IT Professionals (Final Edition)".  Below is excerpt from the web site describing the book: "Is this book for you? Get a headstart evaluating Window 8—guided by a Windows expert who’s worked extensively with the software since the preview releases. Based on final, release-to-manufacturing (RTM) software, this book introduces new features and capabilities, with scenario-based insights demonstrating how to plan for, implement, and maintain Windows 8 in an enterprise environment. Get the high-level information you need to begin preparing your deployment now." (read more on the website)

Video: Windows PowerShell v3 Crash Course

Video description from the site: "Windows PowerShell v3 is here, and it is delivering on Microsoft's promise to make nearly everything in Windows manageable from the command-line. Are you finally going to learn the shell, or learn to say, "would you like fries with that?" instead? Join PowerShell author, columnist, trainer, and MVP Don Jones (one of the world's most well-known PowerShell experts) in a crash course that shows you how to use the shell's key features. No scripting experience needed—you'll use the shell as it as meant to be used to accomplish real administrative tasks with just a few commands. Also, learn how the shell can teach you how to use itself, setting you up for success with the new wave of Microsoft and third-party enterprise products."

Article: Netflix Alternatives (Streaming Movie Sites)

Below is a excerpt from an article on a web site called The Jason Chronicles called "Netflix Alternatives (Streaming Movie Sites)": "Like many people, I have ditched my TV several years ago and get most of my video entertainment from sites like Hulu and Netflix. I have been a huge fan of Netflix for years, I thought they provided a great deal for what you got. Although, after their rate hikes in 2011, I have been contemplating alternatives to their service.

It is worth noting that most of these services are not subscription based like Netflix, they're fee based so you pay for every movie you watch. This is great for people who only watch movies once in a while, but if you like to watch a lot of streaming movies or TV shows this can get expensive.

The service offerings of these websites change all the time by adding new features, services and prices so the list of providers below are only pointers." (read the rest of the article)

Software: Password Management Applications (Updated)

About a year ago I wrote the original article which this one is based on, but I recently decided it was and important subject and it needed to be expanded with more information.

The problems is that most of us are swimming in passwords, and we have a hard time remembering all of them.  To deal with the password overload, people will use different unsecured methods like writing them down store them in obvious places on a post-it note under a keyboards, a phone, a mouse pad, even under or in a desk drawer.  Others write them on notes and leave them on their monitors or computers.

You could created encrypted document of some type (e.g. text, Word, Excel, etc.) to store them.  There are also several password management applications available for you to download, some are free and others cost money.

KeePass
Although before you pay for anything or try other programs.  Check out a program called KeePass.  This is a multiple platform, open-source password management application.  There are also 3rd party ports of the application that work on popular mobile platforms (e.g. iPhone, Android, etc.).

KeyPass will store your private data in an encrypted file, so even if someone steals it they can't read it unless they know the master password.  Check out the web site for more information.

Note: KeyPass needs its data file to be shared with a file-based sync solution such as Dropbox to be utilized among multiple devices (e.g. PCs, Macs, iDevices, and Android Devices).

If you want something that offers more features then KeyPass, checkout some of the commercial password management solutions like:

• 1Password
• Stores your private information (e.g. passwords, credit cards, etc.) in a locally encrypted file and can automatically log you into your favorite website and fill-in web form fields.  See the site for more information.
• Note: 1Password needs its data file to be shared with a file-based sync solution such as Dropbox to be utilized among multiple devices (e.g. PCs, Macs, iDevices, and Android Devices).
• LastPass
• Like 1Password this application stores your private information (e.g. passwords, credit cards, etc.) in an encrypted web service that can automatically log you into your favorite website and fill-in web form information.  
• There is a free and premium version of the service.  The major difference between the two versions of the services is that the premium subscription includes ability access to your data from a mobile device (several different platforms are supported).  See the site for more information.
• Note: LastPass is a cloud based solution, which syncs your passwords with its servers.  If the companies servers are down, you will not have access to your passwords.  So you might want to make sure that you have an encrypted local backup of your password data file.

Special Offer: Carbonite Update and $20 Amazon Gift Card for Signing Up

I have talked about the Carbonite cloud based backup service in the past, see the excerpt below from an article that I wrote back in July.  

Recently I found out two new things about the Carbonite service, and I wanted to share it.  First, they extended their service to include protection of your Android based cellphone. They currently offer backup, location, and remote lock and wipe (if your phone is stolen) service.  Apple already offers most of these feature through their iCloud service for the iPhone.  Second, they're also offering a $20 Amazon gift card if you use this link to purchase this service (note: I am not sure how long this offer will last).

Read the pro and cons of "Local Hard Drive Backup vs Cloud Backup" options below and make your own decision that works best for you.

Article Excerpt

Below is a list of some advantages to using a cloud based backup service provider vs. using an external hard drive:

• All your backups are stored off-site automatically.

• Some backup solutions offer services that run in the background on your computer that automatically compresses your unbacked up files, encrypts them, then forward them on to the service provider you selected.

• You almost never have to worry about running out of capacity as long as you have a budget for the storage that you're using.

There are several service providers available that offer some type of cloud based backup services.  Some are free, while others cost money.  The hard part will be finding one that you like, and that has the features that you want.

There are also some disadvantages to using these services, such as: 

• Depending on how much data you have, these services can initially use a lot of bandwidth to upload all your data.  Depending on your ISP there may be a cap on the amount of data that you can utilize each month.

• If you have to recover your whole hard drive from your service provider it can be challenging and expensive depending on the solutions that they offer.

Below is a list of features and other considerations when looking for a company to host your backups:

• Has a good reputation for providing a reliable backup solution.

• Offers easy to use software that automatically backs up your files and uses strong encryption.

• Offers affordable pricing for storage and recovery services.

• Offers storage capacity options that meets your needs and budget

Check out a site called Carbonite, they provide affordable Internet backup solutions for privately owned personal computers and small businesses.  Check out the site to see a current list of features and prices. 

Hardware: Introduction to RAID Arrays

Did you know if you have multiple drives on your computer, and your hard drive controller supports RAID you can make them appear as one drive? RAID is an acronym for Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. Some motherboard and hard drive controllers support the ability to create a RAID array out of two or more disks.

You might wonder what are some of the advantages to RAID arrays? The first thing you need to know about this technology, there are several different types of RAID, each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. The second thing you need to know, all versions of RAID make multiple hard drives look like one drive to the operating system.

Some types of RAID arrays offer fault protection, for example if a hard drives in the array fails. Other types of RAID arrays offer speed advantages, for example your computer can read and write data to multiple drive at the same time (this is called striping).

Below is a list that explains the different types of RAID arrays that are available:

• RAID 0 (Stripping): Data is striped across two (or more) drives, this maximizes read and write performance. There is no redundancy in this configuration, if one hard drive fails in the array you will lose all your data.
• Note: This array configuration requires at least two drives.
• RAID 1 (Mirroring): When data is written to one drive, it's also written to an identical drive. This process is known as disk mirroring. If one drive fails, the backup drive takes over. When the failed drive has been replaced, the data will be mirrored to the new drive.
• Note: In this array configuration, you can experience slower writes, and even though you have two drives you only get the storage capacity of one of the drives (the second drive is being used to backup the main drive).
• RAID 5 (Parity): In this configuration, data is striped across all the drives (like RAID 0), with some additional parity data. The parity data is used to rebuild the data on a new drive that has been replaced after the old one failed. A RAID 5 array can only survive one drive failing at a time, at least until the replacement drive has been rebuilt (note: this process can take several hours depending on the size of the drives).
• Notes:
• In this array configuration, you need at least three drives at a minimum. This RAID configuration has read and write performance faster than RAID 1, but can be little slower than RAID 0.
• In this array configuration, you're going to lose about 25% of your drive space to parity information. For example, if you had four 250GB drives in theory you should be able to make them look like one 1TB (Terabyte = 1000 Gigabytes) drive. Although, after you RAID them you might only have about 750GB storage from all the drives.
• RAID 10 or RAID 0+1 (Stripping + Mirror): Uses a combination of RAID 0 and 1, it gives you increased performance by striping the volumes, but it also mirrors the volumes. This configuration requires a minimum of four drives.
• Notes: In this array configuration, you would yield about 500GB of capacity from four 250GB hard drives. This is because two disk are used for stripping and two disks are used for mirroring.

Note: In the RAID 1, 5, 10 array configurations you're only protected against one hard drive failing. These array configurations don't protect you against file damage or lose caused by a virus, user error, or other types failure. So make sure you backup your data on a regular basis.

Article: If Windows 8 baffles you, here's some free training

 CNET Reviews reports: "People new to Windows 8 can get a helping hand via a special course from the online training site Lynda.com. Dubbed Windows 8 Essential Training, the four-hour course is available for free to the public until November 23." (read the rest of the article)

Bringing 'Minority Report' touchless gestures to Windows 8

CNET News reports: "Elliptic Labs wants to bring the touchless gesture controls seen in the science-fiction film "Minority Report" to everyday consumer electronic devices, starting with Windows 8." (read the rest of the article)

Windows 8: Windows Key Keyboard Shortcuts

With every new version of it operating system, Microsoft updates the keyboard shortcuts.  Sometimes it changes the functionality of older shortcuts, and it also adds new shortcuts as appropriate.

The Windows Key (WinKey) keyboard shortcuts below are for Windows 8

Key Strokes	Description
WinKey	Displays the Start screen.
WinKey + Pause/Break	Displays System Properties page.
WinKey + D	Displays the Desktop from the Start screen.
WinKey + E	Displays Windows Explorer.
WinKey + F	Displays Search for files and folder.
WinKey + F1	Displays Help and Support Center.
WinKey + L	Lock the workstation.
WinKey + M	Minimizes all of the windows on the desktop*.
WinKey + R	Displays Run dialog box.
WinKey + Tab	Lists the currently running applications.
WinKey+ PrtScrn	Takes a screenshot and saves it in the Screenshots folder under the Pictures folder. Note: On a Windows 8 tablet to take a screenshot, press the Windows button and the volume-down button simultaneously on the tablet chassis.
WinKey + Q	Displays the Global Search menu.
WinKey + W	Displays the System Settings menu.
WinKey + , (comma)	Makes all windows transparent.
WinKey + . (period)	Toggles the current window to the right or left side.
WinKey + X	Displays the Quick Access menu. Note: Similar to right-clicking on the bottom right corner of the screen to view the Quick Access Menu.
WinKey + I	Displays the Settings menu.
WinKey + O	Locks the orientation for devices with an accelerometer.

To find more application shortcut keys for Windows, Internet Explorer, Remote Desktop and several more, check out my Application Keyboard Shortcuts page.