Get Out of a Windows 7 Update Loop

If you've just installed Windows Updates and Windows is stuck in a loop of applying updates and then rebooting, try this method (adapted from an answer in this forum):

1. Insert the Recovery/Install DVD into the computer.
2. Boot off of the DVD. When you first start your computer, the first screen you see should give you the key combination to press to enter a 'multi-boot' menu. On an HP, hit Esc then F9 for the boot menu (or F11 for recovery if you don't have a DVD). On a Dell, hit F12 for the boot menu. It varies by each manufacturer. Once you find it and are at the multi-boot menu, choose to boot from CD/DVD.
3. When prompted (after it has booted to the DVD) choose "repair my computer" and enter the command prompt.
4. Type C: (with colon) and press enter.
5. Then type cd c:\windows\winsxs and press enter.
6. Then type del pending.xml and press enter.
7. Restart your computer.

Automate network printer installation via logon script

If you manage a Windows server and would like to have network printers automatically installed on users' workstations at logon via a batch script, here's how to do it.


To add a network printer:

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /in /q /n\\ServerName\PrinterName

To delete a network printer:

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dn /q /n\\ServerName\PrinterName

For more information, read this TechNet article.

A better way to send large files

If you've ever needed to send a file to somebody, but it was too big for e-mail or DropBox, you may have looked at services like YouSendIt. However, if you're concerned about the file being stored on a third-party server and somebody other than the intended recipient getting it, then perhaps you've been wary of services like that.


If so, then justbeamit is for you. It initiates a peer-to-peer connection between you and the recipient, allowing you to monitor the transfer in real time and avoiding the need to store it on a server somewhere. Once you close your browser window or navigate away from the page, the link to the file is invalidated.


justbeamit.com

Making hard and soft (symbolic) links in Windows

One great feature of Unix-like file systems is the ability to make links to other files and directories. Windows has had the ability to make shortcuts for a long time, but only since Vista has it had the ability to create soft (symbolic) links to files and directories and hard links to files.


You may be asking yourself, "What are links and why should I care?" In short, links work better than shortcuts and can allow you to do things you otherwise wouldn't be able to do.


For example, if you use Dropbox, you know that only files and folders in your Dropbox folder get synchronized. But, if you make a hard link in your Dropbox folder to a file outside of your Dropbox folder, it will get synchronized because the file now lives in both places. It does this without taking up any more space on the disk. Cool, right?


The following pages explain how links work and how to use them in more detail:


Using Symlinks in Windows Vista - The How-To Geek

How-To: Use Symbolic Links to Master Vista's File System

How to migrate user profiles to a different domain

If you've ever migrated a user's workstation from an old domain to a new domain, you know it's not a simple matter of dragging and dropping the contents of the profile directory in Windows Vista and 7 like it was in Windows XP. You have to manually copy selected files and folders and you lose all of the user's preferences.


That is, of course, unless you use the User Profile Wizard from ForensIT. This small, free utility makes it a breeze to migrate user profiles to a new domain.

Manage Microsoft Updates via LogMeIn Central

LogMeIn Pro and Central users can now manage Microsoft Updates via the LogMeIn Central interface.

Dropbox glitch exposed user files; how to protect yourself against future breaches

On Saturday, Dropbox had a major security breach for four hours, effectively allowing anyone to log into any Dropbox account without knowing the password. The glitch was fixed moments after it was discovered and less than 1% of users were potentially affected. Nevertheless, the incident raises security concerns.


An article in Lifehacker details how to add a second layer of security to your Dropbox account using programs such as TrueCrypt.

How to manually import an NK2 file into Outlook 2010

If you want to manually import an Outlook 2007 or earlier NK2 (nickname database) file into Outlook 2010, read this article.

How to protect your Facebook sessions from being hijacked

Users of Facebook beware! There is a new Android app called FaceNiff that can hijack Facebook sessions in one tap.


To protect yourself, enable HTTPS in your account settings.

Automatically assigning applications to Windows domain computers

If there's an application that you want to automatically install on every computer in your Windows domain, read this article.


I'm currently in the process of implementing automated installation of LogMeIn remote access software on every workstation in the domain at a couple of client sites. One site uses Windows SBS 2003, which has its own way of assigning applications. The other site does not have SBS; just Windows Server 2003. At that site, I used the method described in the article referenced above and it worked perfectly.

Lock Down Your Computer Like the NSA

Here is an article from Lifehacker about how to secure your computer like the NSA. It links to the NSA web page with documents on securing Windows, Mac, Linux and Solaris.

Facebook leaked personal data to advertisers

According to this article, a vulnerability in some Facebook apps allowed third-party advertisers to access security tokens that act as a spare key to users' profiles, allowing them to read posts and access profile information.


While the article points out that the advertisers may not have known they had the ability to do that and Facebook has now fixed the vulnerability, those security tokens may still exist on third-party servers. To make sure you're protected, change your Facebook password.

Macs are not impervious to malware

This article in Lifehacker makes a very good point: As Macs capture greater market share, attackers have greater incentive to write malware that targets Mac OS.


Macs are not impervious to malware. The author predicts that it's only a matter of a couple of years until Mac users will need to get serious about protecting their Macs from infections.

CAT

There's a website called CAT that is basically a TV calendar. It lets you create an iCal feed that you can then import into your preferred calendar program.


I use it in Google calendar and it works pretty well. The only problem is that the shows appear in Eastern time, even though I told it I'm in Pacific. Still, it lets me know what's going to be on TV each night.


http://pogdesign.co.uk/cat/

Don't disable IPv6 in Windows SBS 2008

If you disable IPv6 on your network interface in Windows SBS 2008 and then reboot, you will be stuck waiting for 30-60 minutes at the "Applying computer settings..." screen.  According to the following blog posts, SBS 2008 relies on IPv6:


Post 1


Post 2

How to search Google for downloadable music

Right off the bat, I'd like to make it clear that I do not endorse or encourage illegal downloading.  I post the following information with the intent that it be used for educational purposes only; not as an aid in downloading music illegally.


That being said, there is a Google search query you can use to find downloadable music right in your browser without having to use any P2P applications.


The search query is as follows:

intitle:"index.of" (mp3|mp4|wav|aiff|aac|wma|flac) search.string.here -htm -htm -php -asp -cf -jsp

Replace the text "search.string.here" with the artist or song title (separated by dots) for which you are searching.


For example, if you want to search for The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky, you could use a search query like this:

intitle:"index.of" (mp3|mp4|wav|aiff|aac|wma|flac) tchaikovsky.nutcracker.suite -htm -htm -php -asp -cf -jsp

Then, you just go to a page in the search results, right-click the file you want to download and choose the option to save it.

Xmarks acquired by LastPass

According to this Xmarks blog post, LastPass has acquired Xmarks.  This is great news for fans of either service.


You may recall that I've mentioned both services in previous posts.  I use them on a daily basis.


Xmarks allows you to synchronize your browser bookmarks/favorites between different browsers, different operating systems and different computers.


LastPass does the same thing for your passwords.


If you haven't checked them out yet, you should do so.  It's way better than trying to remember all of those passwords and maintaining separate lists of bookmarks/favorites in each browser you use.

Xmarks is going away

Previously, I wrote about a service called Xmarks that I use to synchronize my bookmarks across browsers and computers.  It has come to my attention that Xmarks is shutting down effective January 10, 2011.  You can read more about it here.


If you are using Xmarks, like me, you'll want to switch to an alternative before the shutdown date.  My primary browser now is Chrome, which has a built-in bookmark sync tied to your Google account.  I'll be transitioning from Xmarks to Chrome Sync in the next few months.  I haven't yet decided whether I will sync my Firefox and Internet Explorer bookmarks, as I don't use those browsers as much.


It's too bad that Xmarks wasn't able to turn a profit and has to close their doors, but life goes on.

Windows Pager

One continual disappointment with Windows is the lack of built-in support for multiple desktops.  Linux has had it for years.  Sure, Windows Vista introduced the Win+Tab window switching, which is pretty, but really not all that practical.  What I really wanted was multiple desktop support.


Recently, a friend and colleague turned me onto Windows Pager.  It's a small, free application that doesn't require installation.  I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and I absolutely love it.  I had my doubts at first, but it's been rock solid (knock on wood).


Windows Pager gives you (by default) 4 desktops.  They appear on the task bar and work pretty much exactly how I wanted.  It's quick and easy to switch between desktops by either clicking on the desktop preview or using a hot key combination.


I put all of my work-related windows on one desktop, all of my personal windows on another desktop, my music (e.g.: Pandora) on a third desktop and then I use the fourth desktop for anything that doesn't fit on the other three.


I really love Windows Pager.  It's free, there's no install and it works beautifully.


http://windowspager.sourceforge.net/

Offline NT Password & Registry Editor

Have you ever been locked out of Windows because you don't know the password?  Maybe you forgot it.  Or maybe you got a hand-me-down computer and the previous owner neglected to tell you the password.  Or maybe somebody else using your computer changed it and didn't tell you.  There are a number of scenarios that require the ability to reset a Windows password.


The Offline NT Password & Registry Editor bootable CD is the solution to the problem.  You just download the ISO image and burn it to a blank CD, then boot the afflicted computer from that CD and follow the prompts to reset the password for the chosen Windows account to one of your choosing.


Tada!


http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/