Geek Stuffs

Windows & Linux Tips, Computer Tricks & Tutorials, Free Support & Troubleshooting.

Powerful Internet Utilities

Make Your own Orkut
http://www.ning.com

send large files 100 MB
http://www.mailbigfile.com/
http://www.dropsend.com/

Best Home page
http://www.netvibes.com/
http://www.pageflakes.com/

Copy n paste between computers
http://cl1p.net/

Sticky notes for the web
http://www.mystickies.com/
http://www.stikkit.com/

calendar services reminder
http://www.hipcal.com
http://www.calendarhub.com/

Receive free email on ur name
http://www.dodgeit.com/

Convert image to ASCII
www.asciiconvert.com

Presentation impressions
http://www.empressr.com/

real time collaboration for ideas
http://thinkature.com/

Get Organised
http://www.backpackit.com/
http://www.calendarhub.com/



Everything about time n date
http://www.timeanddate.com/

Send 1GB attachments Personal P2p
http://www.pando.com/how_it_works

Your Own Spambox
http://spambox.us/

Internet Office suite
http://us.ajax13.com/en/ajaxwrite/
http://www.zoho.com/
http://numsum.com/ spreadsheats

Suggested Meeting Inteligence
http://www.meetwithapproval.com/

Scraps of internet
http://www.netscrap.com

.EXE or zip file search engine
http://www.filemirrors.com/

Drawin flowcharts, diagrams
http://www.gliffy.com/

Good Links Compiled
http://www.reporter.org/desktop/

bookmark synchronyser bet 2 computers
http://www.foxmarks.com/

Recorded e mail
http://www.fuzzmail.org/

Virtual Desktop
http://sapotek.com/ 1GB storage FREE

Map View as in ur house .. nt good for india
http://www.yourgmap.com

The latest websites
http://www.webapplist.com/

online file Conversion
http://www.zamzar.com/

Remove Objects From Photos
http://www.snapmania.com/info/en/trm/

Resize ur Images
http://quickthumbnail.com/

Video Download
http://www.videodownloader.info/]
http://video.qooqle.jp/dl/

choose the color scheme of your own website.
http://createafreewebsite.net/html-color-tool.html

fake e mail
http://deadfake.com/

Customize home page n internet
http://www.pageflakes.com/

25 Gb online storage free
http://www.mediamax.com/

Add Chatbox to site or Blog
http://www.chatcreator.com/chatbox/

Self distructing email
http://www.selfdestructing.com/selfdestructing/faq.asp

printer anywhere
http://www.printeranywhere.com/download.sdf

Save Flash online
http://www.browsertools.net/Flash-Saving-Plugin/firefox.html

Spellchecker
http://www.spellify.com/

Answers to ur questions
http://www.nownow.com/nownow/index.jsp

Tons of widget
http://www.musestorm.com/widgets/central.jsp

check ur net speed
http://www.internetfrog.com/mypc/speedtest/

Online dictionary
http://www.metaglossary.com

Alarm online
http://tehcompany.com/toys/yr-alarm/

Fake Cover Page
http://www.funonit.com/funny_jokes/fake_magazine?

Ip adress wid location teller
http://www.ipandroid.com/mediumlmap.php

Send a File 100 MB
http://www.yousendit.com/

Random File exchange
http://www.file-swap.com/

Windows cant erase file in use
http://www.dr-hoiby.com/WhoLockMe/

Good Podcast
http://www.ourmedia.org/


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try this below site…its one kind of trash..i hope u will not angry with me after trying this…

CLICK HERE


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compere results from google/yahoo/msn
http://www.jux2.com

search Ur mood n fashion in oses own Trend
http://mindset.research.yahoo.com/

good image search with animations
http://www.netvue.com

answer engine

http://www.brainboost.com
http://www.hakia.com

compilation of Search !! I Use this!!
http://www.sputtr.com/

Comprehensive Precise search
http://directory.google.com

compere yahoo & google same time
http://www.gahooyoogle.com

Search the largest database of frequently asked questions.
http://querycat.com/

search every bit of google
http://lloydi.com/blog/simplygoogleoriginal.htm

search engine
http://www.dogpile.com

multiple search engine links
http://mrquery.com/

great google search tool
http://www.googlepowersearch.com


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Well all of us know how to change the sound to b played wen an application starts [Eg: Start Windows, Turn Off, Error etc], but those are the default applications. So lets try to add something to the existing
set of application [like mayb Notepad, MS Word, etc].


Go to your registry [Run >> 'regedit' or browse through C:/Windows/Regedit]
Browse through HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps
Right Click on Apps
New > Key
Type the name in windows format [Eg: mspaint for Paint Brush, msword for Word etc]
Now click on the newly created option
Right click on Default > Modify > Edit String > Value Line type the name you wish to see on the Sounds Settings Box.

Go to control panel > sound & audio devices > sounds > and scroll down to see the newly created program [on the last line mostly]
Click browse and select your favourite song in .wav format.....


I hope this helps you. Thats all I have in stock for the time being. Pls do contribute in if you have something intresting to share.


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(1) This one I found very helpful and intresting. specially if it a multi-user or shared computer. You can specify the login time of a user. This helps the Administrator [or parent] to ensure that their user [child] is
not spending too much time on the PC. It even shows the last login date and time by the user so as to monitor his usage.

Go to Command Prompt [Start >Run>cmd or Start>programs>Accesories>Command Prompt].
Type 'net user '
Add the parameter '/times :' followed by the days you want to allow [Mon-Sun] and then comma (,) and the time [in 24 Hr format]
Eg : net user Banner/times :Sun,15-19
Means I can sign in only on Sundays between 3 pm and 7pm
Pls note the at 7pm windows WILL NOT SIGN ME OFF.
It simply means it restricts my LOGIN after 7pm.

This is sensible only if other accounts are password protected.
Check this by typing ' net user ' at the command prompt.

------- >> ( If this does not work pls try without leaving a space between '/times' and ':' <<------------------

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(1) This helps you to prevent the Computer Vendor fooling you and taking a 250 bucks etc claiming that he has installed orignal Windows XP on your PC. Check out this test.
Open your Run [Start > Run or Win key + 'R']

Type 'oobe/msoobe /a' and hit enter.

If activated, it will give you the message that 'Windows Already Activated...Click OK To Exit' else it will ask you the license code to activate the Windows OS.


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All about viruses

What are viruses.
Viruses are "programs" that modify other programs on a computer, inserting copies of themselves. Viruses are not distinct programs - they cannot run on their own, and need to have some host program, of which they are a part, executed to activate them.

Varieties.

Stealth Virus:

A stealth virus has code in it that seeks to conceal itself from discovery or defends itself against attempts to analyze or remove it. The stealth virus adds itself to a file or boot sector but, when you examine, it appears normal and unchanged. The stealth virus performs this trickery by staying in memory after it is executed. From there, it monitors and intercepts your system calls. When the system seeks to open an infected file, the stealth virus displays the uninfected version, thus hiding itself.

Macro viruses:

Macro languages are (often) equal in power to ordinary programming languages such as C. A program written in a macro language is interpreted by the application. Macro languages are conceptually no different from so-called scripting languages. Gnu Emacs uses Lisp, most Microsoft applications use Visual Basic Script as macro languages. The typical use of a macro in applications, such as MS Word, is to extend the features of the application. Some of these macros, known as auto-execute macros, are executed in response to some event, such as opening a file, closing a file, starting an application, and even pressing a certain key. A macro virus is a piece of self-replicating code inserted into an auto-execute macro. Once a macro is running, it copies itself to other documents, delete files, etc. Another type of hazardous macro is one named for an existing command of the application. For example, if a macro named FileSave exists in the "normal.dot" template of MS Word, that macro is executed whenever you choose the Save command on the File menu. Unfortunately, there is often no way to disable such features.

Linux/Unix:

The most famous of the security incidents in the last decade was the Internet Worm incident which began from a Unix system. But Unix systems were considered virus-immune -- not so. Several Linux viruses have been discovered. The Staog virus first appeared in 1996 and was written in assembly language by the VLAD virus writing group, the same group responsible for creating the first Windows 95 virus called Boza.

Like the Boza virus, the Staog virus is a proof-of-concept virus to demonstrate the potential of Linux virus writing without actually causing any real damage. Still, with the Staog assembly language source code floating around the Internet, other virus writers are likely to study and modify the code to create new strains of Linux viruses in the future.

The second known Linux virus is called the Bliss virus. Unlike the Staog virus, the Bliss virus can not only spread in the wild, but also possesses a potentially dangerous payload that could wipe out data.

While neither virus is a serious threat to Linux systems, Linux and other Unix systems will not remain virus-free. Fortunately, Linux virus writing is more difficult than macro virus writing for Windows, so the greatest virus threat still remains with Windows.

Signs of virus infection.

  • You get confirmations for e-mails you did not send.
  • Your system seems unusually slow or certain programs will not run.
  • You have hardware problems such as stuck keys that repeat the same character over and over, keyboard locking in CAPS mode, black rectangles appearing on the screen at random, system lock-ups, etc.
  • You have software problems such as program lockups for no reason, menu items react strangely, mode indicators like "CAPS LOCK" stop working, etc.
  • Error messages like "Incompatible file error" or "Not enough memory," appear for no apparent reason.
  • You get unusual messages on your monitor, such as “Hacked by Chinese”.

Actions if you are infected.

  • Turn off your computer. DO NOT click Start>Shut Down>Shut Down the Computer. That takes too long. Simply push the power button and hold it until the computer shuts off. This will prevent continued spread of the virus.
  • Inform your IT department immediately and let them handle the problem. Do not panic or interrupt other users.
  • What if your company does not have its own IT department? What if you are infected with a virus on your home PC? What should you do?
  • The first thing to do when you realize you are infected is to disconnect your computer from your Internet connection. This will limit the spread of the virus. If you have an “always on” connection, such as a network, cable modem, or DSL, physically unplug the connection from your PC.
  • If your virus definitions are up to date and you simply neglected to scan an attachment, scan it now to determine which virus has infected your computer.
  • If you need to update your definitions in order to scan for the virus, try to download the definitions using another computer and transfer them to your PC using diskettes or a CD.
  • Once you have determined the name of the virus, find the removal instructions on the website of your anti-virus software (again, using another computer), and follow them step-by-step. It is very important to follow the instruction precisely. If you skip a step, you can exacerbate the problem. Be very careful when making changes to the registry and other system files. You can inadvertently do more damage than the virus if you delete the wrong file.

Free online scan.

  1. PCPitstop AntiVirus Online Scan: http://www.pcpitstop.com/antivirus/avload.asp
  2. Trend Micro's free online (Housecall) virus scanner: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
  3. Panda ActiveScan Online Virus Scan: http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm
  4. Symantec's Online Scan: http://security2.norton.com/
  5. BitDefender Free Online Virus Scan: http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php


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start>run>regedit>hkey currents user>appevents>schemes>apps>defaults>systemstart>.current

then on (Default) right click...then modify...
then on value data:...give *.wav fromat songs
then reboot..


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ADDING AN OPTION TO UR RIGHT CLICK


Once done, you will be able to right click any file or folder and use the Browse for Folder dialog to choose the location you want to move or copy your file or folder to, without having to go to the destination path,
its cool!

First we will add the copy and move options to the right click menu of all FILES.
CLICK Start>Run, type REGEDIT and click OK to open up the registry editor and make your way to this key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT->*->shellex->ContextMenuHandlers
Right click the ContextMenuHandlers key and choose New>Key.
Name the new key “Copy To” (without the quotes).
Repeat the above and create another new key named Move To.
You should now have two new subkeys under the ContextMenuHandlers key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT->*->shellex->ContextMenuHandlers\Copy To
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT->*->shellex->ContextMenuHandlers\Move To
Select the Copy To key and in the right hand pane, double click “Default”
Enter this clsid value as the value data:
{C2FBB630-2971-11d1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
Next , select the Move To key and in the right hand pane set the default value to:
{C2FBB631-2971-11d1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
This now takes care of the Copy and Move options for the right click context menu of all your files.
Now all that is left is to add the same options to the right click menu of all your folders.
The procedure will be the same as for files but at a different key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHan dlers
Right click ContextMenuHandlers and create a new key named Copy To.
Right click it again and create another new key named Move To.
left click on the right hand pane, add the same default values as you did for Files:
For Copy To:
{C2FBB630-2971-11d1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
For the Move To:
{C2FBB631-2971-11d1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
Exit the registry and you are done.
Now when you right click on a file or folder, you should see two new options: Copy to Folder and Move to Folder


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Here are the most common codes and messages you're likely to see on your Web browser (HTTP), when accessing Usenet, using e-mail, or using the FTP protocol to upload or download files.

The codes can generally by grouped as follows -
100-199 - Information Codes. Provide information about the request or the servers involved.
200-299 - Success Codes. Indicate that the request was accepted or the requested file has no content (empty).
Requ
300-399 - Redirects.ested content has moved.
400-499 - Client Errors. Cannot find content or you don't have the correct permissions to access it.
500-599 - Server Errors. There is a problem at the server end stopping the request from completing successfully.

To give you a greater understanding of these errors, here is a list of the most popular codes.

As a rule of thumb, the first thing you should if you get an error is make sure that you have typed in the URL or page address correctly.

Bad request 400
The request could not be understood by the server due to bad syntax. You should not repeat the request without modifications.

Unauthorized 401
The creators of a Web page may want only certain people have access to that page. You should only retry the request if you know that you have authorization.

PaymentRequired 402
This message gives a specification of charging schemes which are acceptable. You may retry the request with a suitable ChargeTo header.

Forbidden 403
The request is for something forbidden. Authorization will not help. This status code is commonly used when the server does not wish to reveal exactly why the request has been refused, or when no other response is applicable. (The file needs to be set with "read permissions" for all users.)

Not found 404
The server has not found anything matching what you requested. Make sure that the Web address (URL) that you typed in exactly matches the address you were given. Check that the capitalization matches, spelling, and punctuation, like dots (.) and slashes (/), are correctly placed. Be sure you are using the forward slash (/) and not the backward slash (\).

405 Method Not Allowed
The method specified in the Request-Line is not allowed for the resource identified by the request. The response must include an Allow header containing a list of valid methods for the requested resource.

406 Not Acceptable
The resource identified by the request is only capable of generating response entities which have content characteristics not acceptable according to the accept headers sent in the request.

407 Proxy Authentication Required
This code is similar to 401 (Unauthorized) , but indicates that you must first authenticate yourself with the proxy. The proxy must return a Proxy-Authenticate header field containing a challenge applicable to the proxy for the requested resource. You may repeat the request with a suitable Proxy-Authorization header field

408 Request Timeout
The client did not produce a request within the time that the server was prepared to wait. You may repeat the request without modifications at any later time.

409 Conflict
The request could not be completed due to a conflict with the current state of the resource. This code is only allowed in situations where it is expected that the user might be able to resolve the conflict and resubmit the request.

410 Gone
The 410 response is primarily intended to assist the task of web maintenance by notifying the recipient that the resource is intentionally unavailable and that the server owners want remote links to that resource be removed.

411 Length Required
The server refuses to accept the request without a defined Content- Length. The client may repeat the request if it adds a valid Content-Length header field containing the length of the message-body in the request message.

412 Precondition Failed
The precondition given in one or more of the request-header fields evaluated to false when it was tested on the server. This response code allows the client to place preconditions on the current resource metainformation (header field data) and thus prevent the requested method from being applied to a resource other than the one intended.

413 Request Entity Too Large
The server is refusing to process a request because the request entity is larger than the server is willing or able to process. The server may close the connection to prevent the client from continuing the request.

414 Request-URI Too Long
The server is refusing to service the request because the Request-URI is longer than the server is willing to interpret.

415 Unsupported Media Type
The server is refusing to service the request because the entity of the request is in a format not supported by the requested resource for the requested method.

Internal Error 500
The server encountered an unexpected condition which prevented it from fulfilling the request. Your request could not be processed due to an internal server error.

Not implemented 501
The server does not support the functionality required to fulfill the request. This is the appropriate response when the server does not recognize the request method and is not capable of supporting it for any resource.

502 Bad Gateway
The server, while acting as a gateway or proxy, received an invalid response from the upstream server it accessed in attempting to fulfill the request.

503 Service Unavailable
The server is currently unable to handle the request due to a temporary overloading or maintenance of the server. The implication is that this is a temporary condition which will be alleviated after some delay. If known, the length of the delay may be indicated in a Retry-After header. If no Retry-After is given, you should handle the response as it would for a 500 response.

504 Gateway Timeout
The server, while acting as a gateway or proxy, did not receive a timely response from the upstream server it accessed in attempting to complete the request.

505 HTTP Version Not Supported
The server does not support, or refuses to support, the HTTP protocol version that was used in the request message. The response should contain an entity describing why that version is not supported and what other protocols are supported by that server.


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AGP
Accelerated Graphics Port is a type of expansion card slot on the mother board that is optimized to work with high performance video cards. They enable better viewing of 3D graphics and full motion video on your display.

BIOS
Basic Input Output System is code used when a PC first starts up. It contains configuration information about all the Input and Output devices in the PC so that the processor chip knows how to connect to and work with them.

BIT
This is binary digit and is the smallest piece of information a computer uses. A bit is always in one of two states, either 0 or 1, except for the tiny instant of time required to switch from one state to the other.

BYTE
A byte is eight bits. The data and instructions (code) that a CPU uses are coded into bytes. For example capital letter 'A' in ASCII (PC) code is byte 0100 0001. A lower case 'a' is byte 0110 0001.

BROWSER
Software on a computer used to request and display web pages from a Server.

CABLE MODEM
A type of modem that provides very high speed access to the Internet over the same cable that your cable TV service uses. Rates are asymmetric. This means that downloads are much faster than uploads. Typical download rates are 2 to 3 Mbps and uploads are in the 500Kbs range. This is blazing speed compared to a 56Kbps dial-up modem.

CACHE
Cache is a small fast SRAM type of memory. It prevents CPU slowdown, which happens when the CPU has to wait on slower devices like RAM memory and the hard drive. There are two levels of cache.

Level 1 or L1 cache is a small fast memory located on the same chip as the CPU. When files are first requested by the CPU they are read into the CPU from the hard drive and written into the L1 cache at the same time. When the CPU needs data again it checks the L1 cache and if it finds it there it gets it instantly. If not, it looks successively in the L2 cache, RAM and finally the hard drive, each of which is a little slower in delivering the data the CPU has requested.

If the CPU finds the data it wants in a cache it's called a 'hit' and that's good. If it doesn't it's called a 'miss' which makes the CPU wait a little longer to get the data or instruction it needs from one of the other slower devices.

This little bit of time saved by cache hits may not seem significant, but keep in mind that millions of accesses can be performed in a second. Every cache hit shaves time off the data access. Every cache miss adds time to the access. Cache misses lower performance and cache hits raise it!

Because level 2 or L2 cache is located in chips on the motherboard or on the board that holds the CPU it takes a little longer to access than the L1 cache.

L2 cache is becoming more important as it grows in size and performance. The L1 cache is very small because it is on the same chip as the large CPU. Due to it's small size, chances are high that the CPU won't find the data it needs there. An L1 cache miss causes the CPU to look in the L2 cache for the data.

The long and short of all this - If the data the CPU needs is not found in the L1 cache or L2 cache, the CPU must to wait to get it from the RAM memory. And if it isn't in RAM, then the CPU goes on vacation for a number of milliseconds, which is a long time in the CPU world, while the data is retrieved from the hard drive.

CDD
Compact Disk Drive is a storage device that uses optics to read data from compact disks. CDDs that can read as well as write are very popular now.

CPU
The Central Processing Unit is a special chip that controls what happens in a PC. It fetches instructions and does high speed computations on data. It is somewhat like our brain in that it controls everything we do.

DIMM
Dual Inline Memory Module is a small printed circuit board that contains DRAM memory chips. When we say a PC has 256 MBytes of memory we are talking about the total capacity of all the DIMM modules installed in it.
Modern motherboard provide two to four sockets that accept DIMMs.

DOMAIN NAME
A unique name, formed with letters and numbers, that points to the actual numerical Internet address which locates a particular computer connected to the Internet. For instance, The Yahoo domain name points to Internet address 66.218.71.198.

So when you enter www.yahoo.com in your browser and click go, a special server called a domain name server intercepts and directs your request to the server located at address 66.218.71.198.

DRAM
Dynamic Random Access Memory is type of memory that must constantly be refreshed to retain it contents. It is used as the main memory in a PC and is packaged in DIMMs which plug into the motherboard.

DSL Modem
DSL stands Digital Subscriber Line. The DSL modem is a fairly new device, which allows high speed data to move between your PC and the telephone company on the same line that you use for your telephone calls. Yes. you can use your PC and talk over this line at the same time without interference!

How? Picture of a double-decker bridge with two levels. The traffic on the two levels does not interfere with each other even though it is the same bridge, right? Think of your phone call using the lower level and your PC using the upper level. Instead of being separated by different levels in space, the separation is done by your PC and voice each using a different carrier frequency, just like two different radio stations.

FAT16
FAT is the abbreviation for File Allocation Table. It is a table where the system keeps basic information for each file on your hard drive. The 16 indicates the number of bits used to address the hard drive. The largest partition FAT16 can access is 2MB. When used on a hard drive that is bigger than 2MB the drive space will be divided into a number of partitions.

For example a 10MB drive would be divided into five partitions of 2MB each. If the drive were the only one in the system the partitions would be called C:, D:, E:, F:, and G:.

FIREWIRE
Firewire also known as IEEE 1394 or iLink is a very fast serial bus that runs at 400 Mbps. It competes directly against USB 2.0. Transmit and Receive data are carried on two separately-shielded twisted pair transmission lines. There are two other, rarely used, wires that provide power to remote devices.
Many newer computers have Firewire ports that are used to connect them to very fast external devices.

FTP
File Transfer Protocol is the method used by computers to send and receive files over the Internet.

HTML
Hyper Text Markup Language is the coding that is used to format web pages on Servers so that Browsers can display them.

HTTP
Hyper Text Transport Protocol is used by browsers and servers to facilitate the transport of web pages across the Internet.


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Phishing is a type of online fraud where the perpetrators attempt to
acquire personal, financial, and/or other account information (such as
user IDs, passwords, credit card numbers, PINs, etc.) from
unsuspecting victims. This type of fraud is typically initiated by
sending an unsolicited but official-looking email claiming to be from
a reputable company, such as a bank, a credit card firm, or an online
establishment. The fraudulent email usually contains an urgent message
that tries to lure the recipient into providing sensitive information.

To avoid being victimized by phishing scams, below are several useful
tips:

Do not respond to emails asking for any personal or financial
information.

Legitimate companies will never ask you to verify or provide any
confidential information in an unsolicited email.

Be cautious when clicking on links within a suspicious email.

Most phishing emails contain a link that leads to an official-looking
web page which requires the recipient to log in or enter some personal
information. Though the web page may contain official logos and look
exactly the same as the legitimate company's web site, any information
submitted via these spoofed web page(s) will be sent to the
perpetrators of the scam.

If you have any doubt regarding the authenticity of a web site you
have been directed to in an email, we strongly recommend that you open
a new browser and type the known URL of the company in the browser
yourself, or call the company directly via telephone.

Never log in or enter private information in a pop-up window.

Clicking on links within phishing emails may direct your browser to a
legitimate web site while, at the same time, opening another pop-up
window wherein you are asked to enter your information. This makes it
appear like the pop-up window is part of the legitimate site when, in
reality, it is not.

(Note: Yahoo! offers a Pop-Up blocker in our free Yahoo! Toolbar that
blocks most unwanted pop-up windows from appearing.)

Be alert for suspicious emails.

It is easy to forge an email and make it appear like a legitimate
company sent it. When dealing with emails that pertain to information
that is sensitive in nature, it is best to err on the side of caution.
Below are a few signs indicative of phishing emails:

Urgent account notifications that are not addressed to you personally
but which require action on your part relating to your account(s).

Customer notifications that contain incorrect spelling or poor
grammar.

Account/billing email notifications from credit card firms or other
financial institutions that do not reference the last few digits of
your account number, or that contain no specific details pertaining to
your account/billing information or activity.

Account notifications that are delivered to your Bulk Mail folder.


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cheat codes&cracks for default games in windows xp
FreeCell

Secret - Instant Win
Instructions - Hold down Ctrl + Shift + F10 during game play. Then you will be asked if you want to Abort, Retry or Ignore. Choose Abort, then move any card to instantly win.

Secret - Hidden Game Modes
Instructions - In the "Game" menu choose "Select Game". Enter -1 or -2 to activate the hidden game modes.



Hearts

Secret - Show All Cards
Instructions - Edit this registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Hearts and create a new String value named ZB with a Data value of 42. Start Hearts and Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F12 to show all the cards.

Background - This secret is a reference to Douglas Adams' book the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 'ZB' is the initials of the character Zaphod Beeblebrox, the Galactic President. '42' is the answer to The Ultimate Question Of Life, the Universe and Everything.



Minesweeper

Secret - Reveal Mines
Instructions - Minimize or close all running applications. Launch Minesweeper, then type xyzzy. Next hold down either shift key for one second. Now when you move the mouse cursor over a Minesweeper square you will see a tiny white pixel in the top left corner of your desktop screen. This pixel will change to black when your mouse moves over a mine. You may need to change you desktop background to a solid color other then white or black to see the pixel.

Secret - Stop Timer
Instructions - Launch Minesweeper and start a game so the timer starts counting, then press the Windows Key + D to show the desktop. Now when you select minesweeper from the taskbar you can continue playing with the timer stopped.
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We do copy various data by ctrl+c for pasting elsewhere. This copied data is stored in clipboard and is accessible from the net by a combination of Javascripts and ASP.

Just try this:
1) Copy any text by 'ctrl+c'
2) Click the Link: http://www.sourcecodesworld.com/special/clipboard.asp
You will see the text you copied on the Screen which was accessed by this web page. (Check it out !!)

Do not keep sensitive data (like passwords, reditcard numbers, PIN etc.) in the clipboard while surfing the web. It is extremely easy to extract the text stored in the clipboard to steal your sensitive information.

Be cautious ...

To avoid Clipboard Hack Problem, do the following:
1) In Internet Explorer, Go to Tools -> Internet options -> Security
2) Press Custom level.
3) In the security settings, select disable under Allow paste operations via script and click on 'OK. (Now the contents of your clipboard are safe.)


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If u wanna make a autorun file for the CD you are really to burn just try this....

1) You open notepad

2) now you writ: [autorun]
OPEN=PATH\SETUP_FILE_NAME.EXT
ICON=PATH\ICON_FILE_NAME.EXT

Now save it but not as a .txt file but as a .inf file.

But remember! The "SETUP_FILE_NAME.EXT" MUST be replaced with the name of the setup file. And you also need to rember that it is not all of the setup files there are called '.exe but some are called '.msi

3) Now burn your CD with the autorun.inf file included in the root path.

4) Now set the CD in you CD drive and wait for the autorun to begin or if nothing happens just double-click on the CD drive in "This Computer"


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MAGIC #1

In windows…try to rename a folder or create a new folder named as ’con’..it will not create a folder named as con….try it out…

MAGIC #2

For those of you using Windows, do the following:

1.) Open an empty notepad file

2.) Type "Bush hid the facts" (without the quotes)

3.) Save it as whatever you want.

4.) Close it, and re-open it.

is it just a really weird bug? :-??

MAGIC #3

Microsoft crazy facts

This is something pretty cool and neat...and unbelievable...

It was discovered by a Brazilian. Try it out yourself...

Open Microsoft Word and type

=rand (200, 99)

And then press ENTER

then see the magic...............................

Reson for the 1st:

The following reserved device names cannot be used as the name of a file:

CON, PRN, AUX, CLOCK$, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, and LPT9.

CON is reserved for console, PRN is reserved for printers...........etc.

You must avoid using these names as a file name suffix or file name body, so you have to avoid names such as aux.c, file.aux or NUL.txt.

Reason for the 2nd:

You see, text files containing Unicode (more correctly, UTF-16-encoded Unicode) are supposed to start with a "Byte-Order Mark" (BOM), which is a two-byte flag that tells a reader how the following UTF-16 data is encoded. Given that these two bytes are exceedingly unlikely to occur at the beginning of an ASCII text file, it's commonly used to tell whether a text file is encoded in UTF-16.

But plenty of applications don't bother writing this marker at the beginning of a UTF-16-encoded file. So what's an app like Notepad to do?

Windows helpfully provides a function called IsTextUnicode()--you pass it some data, and it tells you whether it's UTF-16-encoded or not.


It actually runs a couple of heuristics over the first 256 bytes of the data and provides its best guess. As it turns out, these tests aren't terribly reliable for very short ASCII strings that contain an even number of lower-case letters, like "this app can break", or more appropriately, "this api can break".

The documentation for IsTextUnicode says:

These tests are not foolproof. The statistical tests assume certain amounts of variation between low and high bytes in a string, and some ASCII strings can slip through. For example, if lpBuffer points to the ASCII string 0x41, 0x0A, 0x0D, 0x1D (A\n\r^Z), the string passes the IS_TEXT_UNICODE_STATISTICS test, though failure would be preferable.


Reason for the 3rd:

Actually "Rand" is a word function.


Microsoft Word allows you to quickly insert sample text into a document. To do this, type =rand() in the document where you want the text to appear, and then press ENTER.

The inserted text is that hardy perennial: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog,” which contains every letter in the English alphabet.

By default, the sample text contains three paragraphs, each containing five sentences. You can control how many paragraphs and sentences appear by adding numbers inside the parentheses, for instance:

=rand(3,4)

The first number is the number of paragraphs, and the second the number of sentences per paragraph. If you omit the second number, you get five sentences in each paragraph. So, for example:

=rand(3,4)

inserts three, four-sentence paragraphs, while:

=rand(10)

inserts ten, five-sentence paragraphs.

The maximum number for either parameter is 200 and may be lower depending on the number of paragraphs and sentences specified. For instance, if you specify 200 paragraphs, then the maximum number of sentences per paragraph you can specify is 99:

=rand(200, 99)

If you specify 200 sentences per paragraph, then the maximum number of paragraphs you can specify is 99.

Admittedly, this function serves a useful purpose for filling a page when you’re designing a template and want to see how it will look with text in it. It’s also easy to see how users can be alarmed and fear this is a virus when someone suggests they try “=rand(200,99),” which quickly blows up into a giant document! (Incidentally, part of the instructions in some versions is to “Make sure there is a space between = and rand and a space between rand and (200,99).” This actually makes no difference: the function works equally well with and without Spaces.)


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Here I shall discuss, how to trace an email sender from the email header. I shall take my MSN account as an example. But before I go into depth I shall split the email header and explain each one of them for better understanding.

Viewing Email Header
Every e-mail comes with information attached to it that tells the recipient of its history. This information called a header. The above is the Full header of email .All this information comes with the email. The header contains the information essential to tracing an e-mail. The main components to look for in the header are the lines beginning with "From:" and "Received:" However, it might be instructive to look at what various different lines in the header mean.



Quote:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Received: from rwcrmhc11.comcast.net ([204.127.198.35]) by mc7-f12.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.6713); Tue, 25 Nov 2003 19:56:18 -0800
Received: from pavilion (pcp03530790pcs.mnhwkn01.nj.comcast.net[68.37.24.150]) by comcast.net (rwcrmhc11) with SMTP id <20031126034457013001nk6pe>; Wed, 26 Nov 2003 03:44:57 +0000
X-Message-Info: JGTYoYF78jGkTvdOiviUvHyY85nt7iLD
Message-ID: <000801c3b3cf>
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106
Disposition-Notification-To: "Leona"
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106
Return-Path: leona6256@comcast.net
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 26 Nov 2003 03:56:18.0897 (UTC) FILETIME=[3F5AFC10:01C3B3D1]



Some e-mail programs, like Yahoo or Hotmail, have their full headers hidden by default In order to view the full header, you must specifically turn on that option. Some ways of doing this in different e-mail programs follow here:


Viewing full Header in Yahoo and Hotmail
Yahoo

Quote:
Click Options -> Click Mail Preferences -> Click Show Headers -> Click "All" -> Click "Save"

Hotmail

Quote:
Click Options -> Click Mail Display Headings (under "Additional Options") -> Click Message Headers -> Click "Full" ->


Quote:
Click "OK"




Viewing full Header in Email Clients like (Outlook and Eudora etc)
Outlook Express
If you use OE, at least the version I have (5.5), you may not have much luck; it sometimes gives little more information than what you can see in the main window. But here's the application path anyway:
Click File/Properties/Details to find the header information.

Outlook
First, highlight the email in your Incoming window, right-click on it, and select Options. The window that comes up will have the headers at the bottom.

Eudora
Be sure the message is open, then Click the 'Blah, Blah, Blah' button from the Tool Bar, and the headers will appear.

Pegasus
Select Reader/Show All Headers/

Netscape Mail
Select Options/Headers/Show All Headers

Netscape Messenger 4.0 and 4.5
Select View/Headers/All



Now I will discuss the full header in detail:



Message ID:
Quote:
It is used to identify the system from which the the message has originated (I.e. from the system the sender has logged in). However, this is too easy to forge, and is consequently not reliable.




X-Headers:

Quote:
X- headers are user defined headers. They are inserted by email client programs or applications that use email. Here from the X- headers inserted into the email by the email client it is clear that the sender has used Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 to send this email.


X-Priority: 3
Quote:
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106




MIME-Version:
Quote:
MIME stands for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension. It tells the recipient what types of attachments are included in email. It is a format that allows people to send attachments that do not contain Standard English Words, but rather graphics, sounds, and e-mails written with other characters. The Mime-Version field merely confirms that the version of MIME used corresponds to the standard version (which is currently 1.0).




From:
Quote:
Form is useless in tracing an e-mail. It consists of the email of the sender but this can be obviously be a fake. One can use any fake-mailer to fake the sender's name.



Content-Type:
Quote:
This line tells the receiving e-mail client exactly what MIME type or types are included in the e-mail message. If the Content–Type is text/plain; charset="us-ascii" just tells us that the message contains a regular text message that uses English characters. ASCII is the American Standard Code for Information Interchange and is the system used to convert numbers to English characters.



Return-Path:
Quote:
It is the address to which your return e-mail will be sent. Different e-mail programs use other variations of Return-Path:. These might include Return-Errors-To: or Reply-To etc.




Received:

Quote:
This field is the key to find out the source of any e-mail. Like a regular letter, e-mails gets postmarked with information that tells where it has been. However, unlike a regular letter, an e-mail might get "postmarked" any number of times as it makes its way from its source through a number of mail transfer agents (MTAs). The MTAs are responsible for properly routing messages to their destination.




Let me strip-off the above email header to make the understanding easy. The header is splitted and the two received headers are given below.

Received Header 1: Quote:
204.127.198.35 - Tue, 25 Nov 2003 19:56:18 -0800
from rwcrmhc11.comcast.net ([204.127.198.35])
by mc7-f12.hotmail.com
with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.6713)



Received Header 2: Quote:
68.37.24.150 - Wed, 26 Nov 2003 03:44:57 +0000
from pavilion (pcp03530790pcs.mnhwkn01.nj.comcast.net[68.37.24.150])
by comcast.net (rwcrmhc11)
with SMTP
id <20031126034457013001nk6pe>




The MTAs are "stamped" on the e-mail's header so that the most recent MTA is listed on the top of the header and the first MTA through which the e-mail has passed in listed on the bottom of the header. In the above sample e-mail header, e-mail first passed through 68.37.24.150 (pcp03530790pcs.mnhwkn01.nj.comcast.net), and at last made its way through 204.127.198.35 (rwcrmhc11.comcast.net).



In the Received Header 2, the one marked with red colour "pavilion" is either the domain name of the server from which the email has originated or the name of the computer from which the email has been sent. By doing a DNS query for "pavilion", it is confirmed that it is not a know host name hence, must be the name of the computer from which the mail has originated. "68.37.24.150" is the IP address from which the mail might have originated or it is the IP address of the ISP (Internet Service Provider) to which the user was logged on while sending the mail.



Note: Correct me if I am wrong, most of the time "HELO" is prefixed to the system name from which the mail has originated, but its accuracy is not reliable.



Trace who owns the IP address
Every computers hooked on to internet is assigned with an IP address. Individual users possess a dynamic IP address when they logged on to any ISP to access internet. These IP addresses are assigned by the ISP itself. Organization usually possess static/public IP address which is stored in a database of registries.



There are three major registries covering different parts of the world. They are

www.arin.net => American Registry of Internet Numbers (ARIN) : It assigns IP addresses for the Americas and for sub Saharan Africa.

www.apnic.net => Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) : It covers Asia

www.ripe.net => Réseaux IP Européens (RIPE NCC) : It covers Europe



Thus, to find out which organization owns a particular IP address, you can make a "WHOIS" query in the database at any of these registries. You do this by typing the IP address into the "WHOIS" box that appears on each of these websites.



"Received Header" will have the IP address of the ISP in case the users has dialed up to the ISP while sending the email. But if the user has send the email from within the corporate then the corporate public/static IP address is logged.



By giving a "WHOIS" query for 68.37.24.150 at www.arin.net, the following result has been displayed:



Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. JUMPSTART-1 (NET-68-32-0-0-1)
68.32.0.0 - 68.63.255.255
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. NJ-NORTH-14 (NET-68-37-16-0-1)
68.37.16.0 - 68.37.31.255

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2004-02-04 19:15
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.



From above queries it is found that the IP address (68.37.24.150) is owned "Comcast". By making further queries on "Comcast" it is found that it is the name of the ISP located in NJ, US - 08002. The result of further query is given below:



OrgName: Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.
OrgID: CMCS
Address: 3 Executive Campus
Address: 5th Floor
City: Cherry Hill
StateProv: NJ
PostalCode:08002
Country: US

NetRange: 68.32.0.0 - 68.63.255.255
CIDR: 68.32.0.0/11
NetName: JUMPSTART-1
NetHandle: NET-68-32-0-0-1
Parent: NET-68-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: DNS01.JDC01.PA.COMCAST.NET
NameServer: DNS02.JDC01.PA.COMCAST.NET
Comment: ADDRESSES WITHIN THIS BLOCK ARE NON-PORTABLE
RegDate: 2001-11-29
Updated: 2003-11-05

TechHandle: IC161-ARIN
TechName: Comcast Cable Communications Inc
TechPhone: +1-856-317-7200
TechEmail: cips_ip-registration@cable.comcast.com

OrgAbuseHandle: NAPO-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Network Abuse and Policy Observance
OrgAbusePhone: +1-856-317-7272
OrgAbuseEmail: abuse@comcast.net

OrgTechHandle: IC161-ARIN
OrgTechName: Comcast Cable Communications Inc
OrgTechPhone: +1-856-317-7200
OrgTechEmail: cips_ip-registration@cable.comcast.com

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2004-02-04 19:15
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.



Now since the IP address found belongs to an ISP, it is clear that the sender has dialed up to this ISP while sending the email. For further enquiry we can then request the ISP to provide us with details of the user who has dialed up to them at that given point of time (Wed, 26 Nov 2003 03:44:57 +0000). If the ISP cooperates, they will check their user and message logs to see who was logged into that particular IP address at that time and date. This will reveals the sender's telephone number from which he/she has dialed to the ISP. Now once we have the telephone number we can easily retrieve the name and address of the sender.



Now the above case is solved but there are also other cases where the IP address found on the email header may be owned by an organisation or a cyber cafe. Below I have discussed how you can trace the sender in both of these cases.



Cases1: THE IP ADDRESS OWNED BY AN ORGANISATION

But in case the IP address found belongs to an organisation then you have to request them to provide information about the user who has send the mail from within the organisation network. They must have user and message logs on their firewall / proxy and can trace each of their computers connected at the given point of time. By supplying the organisation with the e-mail header of the offending e-mail, they can check these logs and hopefully produce information of the user of that machine.



Cases2: THE IP ADDRESS OWNED BY A CYBER-CAFE

In case it is found that the sender has sent the email from a cyber-cafe then it becomes a difficult task to trace him/her. The user may not be a frequent visitor to that cyber-cafe. But let's assume that you receive such mails frequently from that particular cyber-cafe then you can install "key-loggers" in the computers at the cafe. These programs records user's keystrokes, thus creating a record of everything that was typed at a particular terminal. By reviewing the key-logger logs you may be able to trace the sender in this case.



Note: These methods would aid greatly in identifying an e-mail sender, they also would impinge on the rights of others using the computers to conduct their personal business. Such a conflict defines the ongoing struggle between the fight against terrorism over the Internet and the right to privacy, which will continue to evolve in the years ahead.



## Send me information if you know a better way to trace a sender who uses cyber cafe to send email. ##

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To convert a FAT partition to NTFS, perform the following steps.

Click Start, click Programs, and then click Command Prompt. In Windows XP, click Start, click Run, type cmd and then click OK.

At the command prompt, type CONVERT [driveletter]: /FS:NTFS. Convert.exe will attempt to convert the partition to NTFS.

NOTE:
Although the chance of corruption or data loss during the conversion from FAT to NTFS is minimal, it is best to perform a full backup of the data on the drive that it is to be converted prior to executing the convert command.



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When you download photos from your digital camera, they often have unrecognizable names. You can rename several similar files at once with the following procedure. This also works for renaming other types of files.

1.Open the My Pictures folder. (Click Start, and then click My Pictures.) Or open another folder containing files that you want to rename.


2.Select the files you want to rename. If the files you want are not adjacent in the file list, press and hold CTRL, and then click each item to select it.


3.On the File menu, click Rename.

4.Type the new name, and then press ENTER
All of the files in the series will be named in sequence using the new name you type. For example, if you type Birthday, the first will be named Birthday and subsequent files in the series will be named Birthday (1), Birthday (2), and so on. To specify the starting number for the series, type the starting number in parentheses after the new file name. The files in the series will be numbered in sequence starting with the number you type. For example, if you type Birthday (10), the other files will be named Birthday (11), Birthday (12), and so on.



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If you wanna lock the folder myfolder in E: which has the path E:\myfolder , In the same drive create a text file and type

Code:

ren myfolder myfolder.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}


Now save this text file as lock.bat

Create another text file and type in it

Code:

ren myfolder.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} myfolder


Now save this text file as open.bat

2 batch files lock and open. Press lock.bat and if u click on the folder myfolder, it will take u to to the control panel and you cannot view its contents (Of myfolder). Press open.bat and you will get back your original folder.


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Watch STAR WARS On ur DOS
all u have to do is
Open cmd


Code:
start>run>cmd

then type
Code:
telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl


and enter ...
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Speed up your internet by 20%
Microsoft reserves 20% of your available bandwidth for their own purposes like Windows Updates and interrogating your PC etc

You can get it back:

Click Start then Run and type "gpedit.msc" without quotes.This opens the group policy editor. Then go to:
Local Computer Policy
then Computer Configuration
then Administrative Templates then Network then QOS Packet Scheduler and then to Limit Reservable Bandwidth.

Double click on Limit Reservable bandwidth. It will say it is not configured, but the truth is under the 'Explain' tab i.e."By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 20 percent of the bandwidth of a connection, but you can use this setting to override the default."
So the trick is to ENABLE reservable bandwidth, then set it to ZERO. This will allow the system to reserve nothing, rather than the default 20%.It works on Win 2000 as well.
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XP hides some system software you might want to remove, such as Windows Messenger, but you can tickle it and make it disgorge everything. Using Notepad or Edit, edit the text file /windows/inf/ sysoc.inf, search for the word 'hide' and remove it. You can then go to the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Windows Components and there will be your prey, exposed and vulnerable.

Creating Shutdown Icon or One Click Shutdown:

Navigate to your desktop. On the desktop, right-click and go to New, then to Shortcut (in other words, create a new shortcut). You should now see a pop-up window instructing you to enter a command line path.
Use this path in "Type Location of the Item"
SHUTDOWN -S -t 01
If the C: drive is not your local hard drive, then replace "C" with the correct letter of the hard drive. Click the "Next" button. Name the shortcut and click the "Finish" button. Now whenever you want to shut down, just click on this shortcut and you're done.


Increasing Band-Width By 20%:

Microsoft reserves 20% of your available bandwidth for their own purposes like Windows Updates and interrogating your PC etc

To get it back:

Click Start then Run and type " gpedit.msc" without quotes.This opens the group policy editor. Then go to:
Local Computer Policy then Computer Configuration then Administrative Templates then Network then QOS Packet Scheduler and then to Limit Reservable Bandwidth.
Double click on Limit Reservable bandwidth. It will say it is not configured, but the truth is under the 'Explain' tab I.e."By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 20 percent of the bandwidth of a connection, but you can use this setting to override the default."
So the trick is to ENABLE reservable bandwidth, then set it to ZERO. This will allow the system to reserve nothing, rather than the default 20%.It works on Win 2000 as well.

Renaming The Recycle Bin icon:

To change the name of the Recycle Bin desktop icon, click Start then goto Run, write Regedit and press Enter. It opens Registry Editor. Now in Registry Editor go to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ ROOT/CLSID/ {645FF040- 5081-101B- 9F08-00AA002F954 E}
And change the name "Recycle Bin" to whatever you want (don't type any quotes).

Managing Tasks:
You can at last get rid of tasks on the computer from the command line by using 'taskkill /pid' and the task number, or just 'tskill' and the process number. Find that out by typing 'tasklist', which will also tell you a lot about what's going on in your system.

Removing Shared Documents folder From My Computer window:

Open registry editor by going to Start then Run and entering regedit. Once in registry, navigate to key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ My Computer \ NameSpace \ DelegateFolders

You must see a sub-key named {59031a47-3f72- 44a7-89c5- 5595fe6b30ee} . If you delete this key, you have effectively removed the my shared documents folder.

Making Google the Default Search Engine in Internet Explorer:

Open registry editor by going to Start then Run and entering regedit and navigate to following three keys separately and change it as shown below:

[HKEY_CURRENT_ USER\Software\ Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\Main]
"Search Page"=" http://WWW.google.Com "
"Search Bar"=" http://WWW.google. Com/i.e. "
[HKEY_CURRENT_ USER\Software\ Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\SearchURL]
""=" http://WWW.google. Com/keyword/ %S "
[HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE\SOFTWARE \Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\Search]
"SearchAssistant" =" http://WWW.google. Com/i.e. " .

Improving the Slow Boot up time:

There are a variety of reasons why your windows XP system would boot slowly. Most of the times it this has to do with the startup applications. If you would like to speed up the bootup sequence, consider removing some of the startup applications that you do not need. Easiest way to remove startup apps is through System Configuration Utility. Go to Start then Run and enter MSCONFIG and go to the Startup tab. Deselect/UnCheck application( S) that you do not want to startup at boot time.

Customize Logon prompt with your Own Words:

Open Registry by going to Start then Run, entering regedit and Navigate to [HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE\SOFTWARE \Microsoft\ Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ Winlogon] . In right pane, look for key by the name "LogonPrompt" . Set its value to whatever text you want to see displayed at login screen.

IP address of your connection:
Go to Start then Run. Enter 'cmd' and then enter 'ipconfig' .Add the '/all' switch for more info .

Making Folders Private:
Open My Computer Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive (C:), unless you have more than one drive on your computer). If the contents of the drive are hidden, under System Tasks, click Show the contents of this drive.
Double-click the Documents and Settings folder. Double-click your user folder. Right-click any folder in your user profile, and then click Properties. On the Sharing tab, select the Make this folder private so that only I have access to it check box.

To change Drive Letters:
Go to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management, Disk Management, then right-click the partition whose name you want to change (click in the white area just below the word "Volume") and select "change drive letter and paths."
From here you can add, remove or change drive letters and paths to the partition.

Removing the Shortcut arrow from Desktop Icons:
Goto Start then Run and Enter regedit. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ ROOTlnkfile. Delete the IsShortcut registry value. You may need to restart Windows XP.

Get Drivers for your Devices:
Visit Windows Update (XP Only)
Look at the left hand pane and under Other Options click Personalize Windows Update.
Now in the right hand pane check the box - Display the link to the Windows Update Catalog under See Also
Below Choose which categories and updates to display on Windows Update - make sure you check all the boxes you want shown.
Click Save Settings
Now look in the left hand pane under See Also click Windows Update Catalog and choose what you're looking for. Choose either MS updates or drivers for hardware devices.
Start the Wizard and off you go.

Customize Internet Explorer's Title Bar:
Open Registry by going to Start then Run and Enter regedit. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_ USER\Software\ Microsoft\ Internet. Explorer\Main. In right hand panel look for string "Window Title" and change its value to whatever custom text you want to see.

Disabling the use of Win Key:
If your are a gaming freak then you must be sick of the Win key in your keyboard. To disable use of Win key, open registry by going to Start then Run and entering regedit. Navigate to [HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE\SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSe t\Control\ Keyboard Layout] . In this look for value of "Scancode Map". Its binary data so be extra careful:
Set its value to "00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 5B E0 00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00" to disable the win key.

Restarting Windows without Restarting the Computer:
This one is again is. When you click on the SHUTDOWN button, make sure to simultaneous press SHIFT Button. If you hold the Shift key down while clicking on SHUTDOWN button, you computer would restart without restarting the Computer. This is equivalent to term "HOT REBOOT".

Stopping XP from displaying unread messages count on Welcome Screen:
To stop XP from displaying count of unread messages, Open registry and navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_ USER\Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentV ersion\UnreadMai l] and look for the data key "MessageExpiryDays" . If you do not see this key, create one DWORD key by the name "MessageExpiryDays" . Setting its value to 0 would stop Windows XP from displaying the count of unread messages.

Modify Color Selection of Default Theme:
Open registry by going to Start then Run. Entering regedit, navigate to [HKEY_USERS\ .DEFAULT\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentV ersion\ThemeMana ger] and locate the key "ColorName".
Right Click on it and select modify its value from "NormalColor" to "Metallic"
Click Ok, and exit regedit and restart your computer.

Removing the Recycle Bin from the Desktop:


If you don't use the Recycle Bin to store deleted files , you can get rid of its desktop icon all together. Run Regedit and go to:



HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/ SOFTWARE/ Microsoft/ Windows/CurrentV ersion/explorer/ Desktop/NameSpac e
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