The Computer Kid

How To Avoid Online Scams

2010-03-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

Online Scams are rampant. Every time you surf the web you see ads for some new miracle weight loss drug, ancient medicine, or home remedy... But 99% of these are frauds. So how do we avoid them? Well that is exactly the question myself and a group of 5 other Philosophy students from my college set out to solve. We made a website which claimed to make your plants grow much faster if you followed our program. Of course this is a complete lie. The website we created is www.TheMonsterEffect.com it has pictures, videos, and testimonials all of which are completely fake... but how could you prove it??? Below is the Debunking video we made to teach you how to spot a fraud.

MusicThief.com

2010-03-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

Looking for a great domain name? MusicThief.com is for you! With this domain name you could set up a music file sharing site, a music fan site, a anti-piracy site, the possibilities are endless. The domain is currently for sale through GoDaddy Auctions and you can place a bid by going to MusicThief.com and making an offer.

Free Homework Solution Manuals Online

2010-02-25T16:47:00.000-08:00

Stop paying for text book solution manuals! Why pay for something you can get for free online? Cramster.com is a student’s best friend. With Cramster you can get all the solutions to your Math, Science, Engineering, Business, English, and History homework problems. The site offers free text book solutions and boards where you can ask advanced questions that aren’t directly in the book.

The process is simple. All you have to do is search for the book that your class uses and then each book is broken down by chapter. Homework and practice problems are clearly written out step by step, with the final answer being clearly labeled. Below is a screen shot of an example solution to a homework problem from my college Physics class.

screen shot

A free account gives you access to the solutions to odd numbered problems and to the discussion boards where you can receive additional assistance. If you want solutions to the even numbered questions and the ability to chat with live tutors then you’ll have to upgrade your account. The free option has plenty of features but if you really want the add-on’s it’s only a measly 5 bucks a month.

Ripped DVD's In Windows Media Center

2010-02-24T20:28:00.000-08:00

Windows Media Center is great but it doesn’t work well with burnt DVD’s.... Until Now!!! Today’s post is a review of a freeware application called “My Movies 3” which is available to download for free from mymovies.dk My Movies 3 is an application which integrates with Windows Media Center (Windows 7, Vista, and XP media center edition).

Once installed you can then play ripped DVD’s within Windows Media Center, and better yet the program will automatically download the Album art for your DVD’s including both the front and back covers. Also, the program automatically grabs the synopsis, genre, rating, and actor list for every movie in your collection. The program has several different cover flow modes to choose from depending on how you’d like your virtual DVD collection to be displayed. You can also tweak several different settings to personalize exactly how much information you want to view about each movie in your DVD library.

Sample Cover Flow: Screen Shot

The program is 100% free, but there are some advanced features such as the ability to rip movies directly from Windows Media Center, additional cover flow views, and fan art, that require a certain number of “points” to unlock. Points are gained either by adding your own information about DVD’s to the site or by donating to the site.

Overall I’d give this a program a 10 out of 10. It’s relatively light on system resources (aka it won’t slow down your pc). It integrates seamlessly with Windows Media Center. It’s simple and fun to use. And finally you can’t beat the price… FREE!!!

Make Taskbar Skinny/Small in Windows 7

2010-02-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

By default the taskbar in Windows 7 is twice the height that it is in previous versions of windows. To change the taskbar back to the smaller size (like it is in XP and Vista) right-click on the taskbar and then select Properties and check the box next to Use Small Icons. Finally, click Apply and then OK.

How to Play Ripped DVD’s (.VOB Files)

2010-02-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

Let’s assume you already know how to rip DVD’s to your hard drive. The question now becomes “How do I play .VOB files on my PC”. Well fortunately a little freeware program called VLC comes in extremely handy for doing this exact thing. For those who don’t have VLC you can download it for free at http://download.cnet.com/VLC-Media-Player/3000-13632_4-10267151.html Now that you have VLC installed on your computer what you want to do is start the program and now click Media, select Open Disk under the drop down menu, and then click the Browse button to find the folder which contains your .VOB files. Once you’ve selected the folder which stores your .VOB click OK and then Play. Voila! The copy of your ripped DVD should now be playing.

Hack Windows Vista & XP Passwords

2010-02-20T12:25:00.000-08:00

Did you forget the password to your windows Vista or XP computer? Or maybe you’re parents have parental controls enabled and you need to know the password to turn them off. Whatever you’re reason may be, hacking into windows XP and Vista is actually a relatively simple process.

Step 1: Go to ophcrack.sourceforge.net select which operating system you use (either XP or Vista; Windows 7 isn’t available yet) and download the ISO. After the download is complete burn the ISO to a CD.

Step 2: Restart your computer (with the CD in) and your computer should now boot from the live CD into a Linux environment.

Step 3: Ophcrack will automatically run as soon as the CD boots and now all you need to do is wait until Ophcrack has completely finished cracking the computer password(s). This process will take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the strength of the password used to protect the computer.

screen shot

Step 4: Finally now that you know the computer password; reboot the computer, eject the CD and now you will have complete access.

That's it! Go ahead and try it for yourself. But as always, use this knowledge responsibly!

Give Away Of The Day

2010-02-19T22:27:00.001-08:00

What’s better than free? How about getting something for free every day of the year! www.GiveAwayOfTheDay.com is a computer geeks dream come true. Every single day this site gives away a new piece of software for absolutely free….. What’s the catch you might ask? Well the only restriction is that you have to download and install the software within the 24 hours that it’s posted online; because once it’s gone it’s gone for good. Thus GiveAwayOfTheDay is site you’ll definitely want to bookmark and check frequently. At GiveAwayOfTheDay.com you’ll find Antivirus software, Digital Imaging tools, Computer Maintenance applications, and much much more!

MIT sketching ASSIST - Free Download

2008-01-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

After watching the following Youtube video I decided that I had to have the software the professor in the video was using, or at least something like it. Luckily, I discovered that Microsoft has an application that is virtually the exact same thing and best of all you can download it for totally free. The application is called "Microsoft Physics Illustrator for Tablet PC" and is just one of the many cool applications available for free in the "Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition". While the application is designed to run on an XP tablet, I had no difficulty installing it on my Vista tablet. Click Here to visit Microsoft PowerToys page where you can download "Physics Illustrator" and any other table PowerToys you want... or Click Here for the direct download link and start using this amazing application now!

Royalty Free images for Free

2007-12-17T09:37:00.000-08:00

Finding free images that are actually high quality can be quite a difficult task. Most sites that provide free images either provide “crappy” images or the images have license restrictions that prevent you from using them on websites or redistributing them. After spending some time searching the web I was able to find a few sites that actually provide free images that are royalty free (no license restrictions). Here is a list of sites that really do provide high quality royalty free images for completely free!

Well there is a few great sites to get you started, but if anyone happens to find any other sites that offer royalty free images for free please leave a comment below with the URL.

Disable List of Recently Used Documents and/or Programs

2007-12-16T12:33:00.000-08:00

By default Windows Vista saves a list of all the recently used files and programs that have been run. While this can be a helpful feature it can also be a pain in the but. Lets just say theoretically that you were looking at some photos you would rather your parents not find out about, then disabling this feature is very important.To disable the list of recently used documents and/or programs that are automatically saved, and listed in the Vista start menu, simply begin by right clicking the Start button and selecting Properties. Now, either un-check "Store and Display a list of recently used files" or "Store and Display a list of recently used programs" or both. Finally, hit OK and from now Vista should no longer keep tabs on what files you've been viewing.

Note: I really did just give a theoretical example so please don't comment about how porn is bad. Plus those pictures could be Christmas gift photos..... Right?

Video Wallpaper Backgrounds for Vista

2007-12-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

Stardock has now announced that as of Feburary 2008 they will be realeasing DeskScapes 2.0 which will allow Vista Home premium, and any other version of Vista (that can run Areo effects) to play video files as their desktop background. Previously, this feature was only availible to Vista Ultimate owners but now Stardock brings it to every Vista distro, and best of FOR FREE!!! As I said this download is free but if you want you can choose to pay $20 for an enhanced version which will include Object Desktop.

For those of who are running Vista Ultimate edition you don't have to wait; you can simply visit http://www.stardock.com/products/deskscapes/ and download DeskScapes which will allow you to play hundreds of free custom made video backrounds. But for the rest of us we will simply have to count down the days untill February arrives and we can finally download DeskScapes 2.0

Display a Site in any Browser, Resolution, or Operating System

2007-12-14T20:06:00.000-08:00

Making sure TheComputerKid.com looks good in every browser is extremely important. As any webmaster knows different browsers display pages differently. To test how your site looks you could download a bunch of different web browsers and test each one yourself or you can do what I do and simply visit Browsershots.org This site takes screen shots of your site in different browsers, different operating systems, and different screen resolutions. This is a great tool that can really improve your visitors experience and best of all its completely free!

My Computer on Vista Desktop

2007-12-13T18:37:00.000-08:00

If you are missing the My Computer icon from your desktop in Vista don't worry it will only take two seconds to put it back. First, click the start button and then right click on Computer and click Show on Desktop. Now you should have the My Computer Icon back on your desktop. To get rid of the My Computer Icon from your desktop simply reapeate the same steps.

Print Webpages Without Headers or Footers

2007-12-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one that finds the URL footer at the bottom of printed web page annoying and ugly? Luckily in Internet Explorer 7 it is very easy to print pages without the hideous headers and footers. Simply select Print Preview and then click the Turn headers and footers on or off button and print the page. Alternatively, you can permanently (but you can change back if you want) turn off the headers and footers by going to Page Setup, selecting the Margins & Header/Footer and selecting both the Header and Footer to be Blank.

Copy the Path of a File or Folder in Vista

2007-12-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

Being able to copy the path of file can be very handy if you are working on a batch file or you want to make a short cut…. or any number of other reasons. Luckily, in windows Vista all you have to do to copy the path of any file or folder is simply hold down the Shift button, right-click on the item and then select Copy as path. Now you can paste the path of the file/folder. Volia! It’s that easy.

Stop Windows Vista Sidebar

2007-12-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

While some people love the sidebar in Windows Vista, others find it to be a waste and want to save Ram by stopping it. To stop Windows Vista Sidebar from automatically starting every time the computer does, simply right-click on the sidebar and select Properties. Now, un-check Start Sidebar when windows starts and hit OK. Now, right-click on the Sidebar (for the last time... yea!) and click Exit. From now on, you don't need to worry about Windows Vista sidebar starting up with the computer or hogging the Ram.

Add Encrypt/Decrypt In Vista Right Click Menu

2007-12-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

I encrypt files all the time so having a encrypt/decrypt option on the right-click menu is very handy. To add this option to the right click menu in Vista, begin by starting Regedit.exe and then browsing to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced Now, in the right side panel click on a blank space, right-click and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it EncryptionContextMenu. Next, right-click the new key and choose Modify. Finally, change the value data to 1 and click OK. Now when you right click on a file or folder you will see the encrypt/decrypt menu option.

Encrypt or Decrypt Files in Vista

2007-12-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

To Encrypt or Decrypt files in Windows Vista simply right-click on the item and select Properties. Next, under the General tab click on the Advanced button. Now, either check or un-check Encrypt contents to secure data and hit OK. Finally, click Apply (If you are encrypting you will be prompted whether you want to encrypt just that file or also the parent folder). Thats it. Now your file is either encrypted or decrypted.

Hibernate Shortcut for Vista

2007-12-07T08:21:00.000-08:00

Hibernate has always been my favorite shutdown option, thus having a simple shortcut on my desktop that I can click to put my vista computer into hibernation mode is extremely convenient. To make your own shortcut for hibernation mode in Vista simply right click on the desktop and select New and then choose shortcut. Now in the text field type "shutdown /h" (without the quotes) and click Next. Now you will be prompted to enter a name for your shortcut (by default the name is shutdown but it is still a hibernation shortcut). Finally, after you have entered the shortcut name click Finish and you should now have a Hibernation shortcut which will allow you to put your computer into hibernation mode simply by double clicking your new desktop shortcut.

Related Articles: Hibernate Shortcut for XP

How to add Digg, Delicious, Reddit and other social bookmarkers to Blogger

2007-12-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that now at the bottom of each of the posts on this blog there is a submit button for Digg, Delicious, Reddit, and many others. Normally adding social bookmarker links is a fairly simple process, as long as you are only adding them to just a few webpages. Unfortunately, when you have a blog on blogger and have hundreds of posts (like myself) adding links for Digg or Delicious can become a tedious task if you do it manually. Luckily there is some simple code which you can copy and paste into your blog template, so that every time you make a post the links are automatically included (including your past posts). Simply go to www.Addthis.com and within five minutes you'll have a social book-marker button on your blog or website. There are multiple configuration options to choose from, and once you have installed the button you can also view how many times your posts are submitted to each of the different bookmarking sites. Feel free check out how this works by going to the bottom of this post and submitting it (Hint, Hint...). Overall this is great way to increase site traffic and is extremely easy to install.

Edit Host File in Vista

2007-12-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

Windows Vista has beefed up its security, thus editing the Host file is a little more difficult (if you don't know how) than it was in previous Microsoft operating systems. To edit the Host file in Vista simply follow these steps.
1) Click Start search Notepad
2) Right click the Notepad program and choose Run as administrator
3) Click Continue on the UAC prompt
4) Click File and then Open
5) Now browse to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc
6) Change the file filter drop down box to All Files (*.*)
7) Select hosts and click Open
8) Now you can edit the host file in Vista. Yeah!

Side Note: a cool prank to pull on a friend is to -- edit your friends host file so that when they type in a site (like google.com) they are taken to a different site (use your imagination). To do this simply find out the IP address of the site you want to send them to and then type the following in thier host file on a blank line (but change the IP to the site you want them to go to.)

207.68.172.246 http://www.google.com/

Trust me this is a funny prank.

Related Articles: Host File Hack for XP

Music Piracy Alternatives

2007-11-13T21:40:00.000-08:00

“College student sued for downloading music illegally!” is an all too often news headline. Music piracy and the consequences that result are constantly making today’s top stories. If you download music illegally, it is important that you protect yourself from becoming just another court case by ensuring that you use free legal alternatives.

With iTunes charging nearly a dollar per song it is not surprising that many people who want to amass a large music library are turning to cheaper alternatives; dirt cheap if you get my drift. While there are several file sharing programs such as Limewire, Bearshare, Morphious, and many others, which allow you to download music for free, these programs can also put you at risk for a lawsuit over copyright infringement if you use them incorrectly. To ensure that you are not breaking any such laws it is important that you confirm the copyright filter (under the settings of your program) is activated. Once this filter is activated you will only see search results that are not copyrighted and therefore “A OKAY” for you to download and distribute.

Another option for illegal downloaders who have now seen the light is to simply listen to songs over the radio instead of downloading them. While at first this may sound absurd because of the inconvenience one might assume there would be, it is actually quite easy and efficient due to modern technology. Now you can listen to radio over the Internet, commercial free, and specify exactly what type of genre you want (I suggest Pandora.com). With the boom of free internet radio, downloading illegal music just doesn’t seem worth the risk.

If Internet radio just isn’t for you, don’t worry you can still download all the songs you want for free, and best of all legally too. There are now several sites that will allow you to download songs from virtually any artist (all the way from Enya to 50 Cent), and don’t charge you a dime. Undoubtedly, you are now asking yourself “what’s the catch?” Well, the catch is that the music you download is wrapped in a DRM (Digital Rights Management) shell. What the DRM does is different for every site. For the example, www.SpiralFrog.com requires that you visit the site every six months in order for you to continue playing downloaded songs. This is a small price to pay when you take into consideration that you are getting tons of music for free, but, of course, there will always be a few music purists out there who will refuse to have their songs corrupted by DRM.

In conclusion, the next time you consider downloading a song illegally, stop and ask yourself if it’s really worth the risk, when all you have to do is simply use one of the many free and one hundred percent legal alternatives.

Free Full Length TV Shows Online

2007-11-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

TV has finally crossed over into the internet realm, and best of all for free. Now many of the big broadcasters are beginning to air their shows via the web. Bellow is a list of full length tv shows you can watch via the web for free and the links to the players for them.

NBC

30 Rock
Bionic Woman
Chuck
Friday Night Lights
Heroes
Journeyman
Las Vegas
Life
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Miss Teen USA
My Name Is Earl
The Office
Passions
Phenomenon
Scrubs
Tonight Show With Jay Leno

CBS

Big Bang Theory
Cane
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Miami
CSI: NY
Guiding Light
How I Met Your Mother
Jericho
Kid Nation
Moonlight
NCIS
Numb3rs
Power of 10
Rules of Engagement
Shark
Survivor: China
The Price Is Right
The Unit
The Young and the Restless

ABC

Big Shots
Brothers and Sisters
Carpoolers
Cavemen
Dancing with the Stars
Desperate Housewives
Dirty Sexy Money
Extreme Makeover Home Edition
Grey's Anatomy
Lost
Men In Trees
October Road
Private Practice
Pushing Daisies
Samantha Who?
The Bachelor
Ugly Betty

FOX

American Dad
‘Til Death
Talk Show
The Simpsons
Prison Break
Nashville
MAD TV
K-Ville
Kitchen Nightmares
King of the Hill
House
Family Guy
Cops
Bones
Back to You
Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

Discovery

Last One Standing
Myth Busters
Meerkat Manor
What Not To Wear

News Stations

MSNBC
CNN Video
CNN Live
Fox News
CNBC

Bad Dog

2007-11-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

I have finally decided to write about Bad Dog and explain exactly what happened. I know this is more of a personal post than what I typically have on this site, but Bad Dog is of course tech so I think it is appropriate. Overall, I just hope someone can learn from the mistakes I made.

Bad Dog

There I sat typing away in the dead silence of the small, dimly lit, sound proof room, which had originally been intended for the school’s TV production studio. Now the room was mine, and as far as I was concerned, I was living out a real-life scene from the matrix. My fingers moved methodically as I rushed to design what would soon become my greatest triumph, and in the end, my downfall. This was the moment where I would truly “stick it to the man” as they say, and finally begin my own secret rebellion.

It was the beginning of sophomore year, and I knew that this year things were going to be different. I had taken several computer classes my freshman year, including eighth and ninth period courses online, and now I was going to use that knowledge to fight back against what I saw as a dominating, patriarchal system that was just begging to be brought down. That system was my school district’s web filter.

It seemed that every time a student needed to do research, the overbearing web filter called Bess (who’s logo was of a guard dog) would stop us dead in our tracks. After dealing with this infuriating nuisance for more than a year, I had had enough. Now at age sixteen, I, Conrad Sykes, was going to put an end to that evil digital guard dog. Within the first month of sophomore year, I had created a website which allowed my fellow classmates and I to access any site without the watchful eye of the filter. I appropriately dubbed my creation “Bad Dog.”
News of my site spread like wildfire, and soon students from all over the school district were accessing the web without being told where it was and was not okay to go. Eventually, “Bad Dog” broke away from being just a school phenomenon, and students across the country were logging on. It was an exhilarating rush to see my web stats sky rocket every day, and to know that thousands of people were viewing something I had created. Unfortunately, it was my own success which would inevitably bring about my undoing.

Perhaps it’s the fact that high school students can’t keep secrets, or maybe the school traced the site back to me through the ads I had placed in an attempt to make some money, but either way, the cat was out of the bag and the school was on to me. It was during my first period math class that the call I will never forget came over the loud speaker.

“Conrad Sykes, please report to the office immediately!”

I knew right away that the game was over. As I walked down the flights of stairs to the office my heart raced faster than I had ever known it to before. With every step I took, I imagined what terrible scene would be awaiting me once I arrived. The thought of expulsion and the shame I would feel having to tell my parents raced through my mind uncontrollably. Now, drenched in a cold, fearful sweat I pushed open the door to the principal’s office and found three school officials waiting to be my judge, jury, and executioners.

“Do you know why you are here today Conrad?” asked one the officials in an icy tone that could pierce strait to the bone.

I was questioned for what seemed an eternity and answered all the questions honestly, not only because I felt morally obligated to, but also because I figured that if I just confessed to everything, there would be no reason to continue interrogating me. After I had sung like a canary it was time to decide my fate. Just like in a criminal TV show, I was able to strike a deal for my freedom. By agreeing to permanently shutdown “Bad Dog” and all the blocking counter-measures I had put in place, the school granted me a reprieve from expulsion and simply sentenced me to a three-day suspension.

Having to destroy something I had shaped, molded, and watched grow, was quite difficult. “Bad Dog” had become more than just a mere website. “Bad Dog” was my rebellious, teenage alter ego and now I was going to have to kill that part of myself if I ever wished to return to school. Taking down the site was worse than being suspended and facing my parents, but I must admit that at the same time, I felt a great swell of relief knowing that it was finally all over--or so I thought.

A few days later, I returned to school to find the rumor mill had done its job and turned me into a mini-celebrity among the geek and nerd crowd. Stories ran rampant that I had been expelled and that the school was doing a military-style crackdown on anyone who had ever even murmured the word “Bad Dog.” Unfortunately, I could not enjoy my celebrity status; in fact, the last thing I wanted to discuss was “Bad Dog.” After returning to school, I learned that while I had been on suspension, my computer teacher, my mentor, and my friend, Mr. Marburger, had been put on administrative-leave because of what I had done. Mr. Marburger was removed from teaching computers despite the fact that the only crime he was guilty of was doing his job too well. I had never fathomed the possibility that anyone besides myself could have been hurt by my actions, but whether intentional or not, the fact still remained that I had killed a Mocking bird.

Ironically, I eventually went on to work for the school district, assisting teachers with online classroom development and dealing with technical problems that would arise. I was even fortunate enough to receive a tech scholarship that greatly reduced my college expense burdens and allowed me the ability to attend Eastern. So while things turned out alright for me, all the benefits I’ve reaped from “BadDog” are accompanied by a bitter taste that reminds me that it has all been at the expense of another. I live with the guilty knowledge that the repercussions of my actions have resulted in the destruction of someone else’s life and that he is still serving out the sentence I deserve. While I realize it is impossible to turn back the hands of time, I have vowed never to let history repeat itself, and hopefully partially atone for my past mistakes by insuring I never make them again.

Microsoft 2007 Ultimate Edition

2007-10-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

In general I am a fairly cautious person. If I hear of a deal that sounds to good to be true I usually assume it is not true. So when I heard that college students could purchase Microsoft Office 2007 Ultimate Edition for only $59.95 I figured it was just some scam. Fortunately, I did some digging and found out that there is some hope for the world still left. I visited the Microsoft website and found this page which describes in detail the entire agreement that Microsoft has with the company, providing this discount software, and their clients. I quickly purchased the software for myself and have to say that I couldn’t be more pleased. Everything went smoothly while purchasing the software and downloading was totally painless (you have 30 days to download); although I do have to admit I was a little panicky during the 20 or so minutes I had to wait for the email to arrive containing my activation key (but it arrived and worked like a charm). To make a long story short, if you are looking to purchase Microsoft Office and you are a college student there really is no better deal than what you will find at http://www.theultimatesteal.com/

Clear Internet Traces Using Command Prompt

2007-10-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

This tip works for both XP and Vista. Through the command prompt you can clear IE 7 history, temp files, or pretty much any traces IE 7 leaves behind on your PC. To delete Internet history and traces simply start the command prompt and then use one of the following commands.

Delete Temporary Internet Files
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 8

Delete Cookies
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 2

Delete History
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 1

Delete Form Data
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 16

Delete Passwords
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 32

Delete All
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 255

Turn Off Click Sounds in Vista

2007-09-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

Windows Explorer in Vista makes a sound after practically every click you make. This gets very old very quickly, to say the least. To turn off this annoying feature go to the Control Panel and then select Sound. Now click on the Sound tab and scroll down to Start Navigation. Next, select None under the sounds drop down list. Finally, hit Apply and then Ok. Now you will be free from windows explorer click sounds.

Show Hidden Files in Vista

2007-09-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

To show hidden file or folders in windows Vista open up explorer and then click Organize and select Folder and Search Options. Now click the View tab and mark Show hidden files and folders. Its that easy, from now on you will be able see any hidden files.

Remote Control a PC for Free

2007-09-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Having remote control over a pc can come in very handy, especially when its free! For example, there have been many times where I have left an important file on my home pc and need to access it when I'm at school or a friends house. By having the capability to remote control my home pc my data is always easily accessible. Another advantage of remote controlling a pc is that you can bypass any filters or restrictions on which ever computer you are using (like a schools computer). And of course you can always help your less tech savy family with their pc problems, remotely. For free pc remote control I would highly recommend using Logmein.com because it offers several unique capabilities such as being able to remote control a Macintosh, Windows (XP, Vista) and even Linux pc's. LogMeIn is web based so you can access your home pc without installing any software on who's computer your using. LogMeIn is simple to use and 100% free. The only down side is that there is no file transfer capability in the free version so if you need a file (like a school report, ect.) then you will need to email it to yourself to access it; or you can just copy and paste of course (if its just text, no music or actual files).

Hide a Drive in Vista

2007-09-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

There are several reasons you may want to hide a drive in vista... for example if you have a nosy little brother who you need to keep away from your important files. When I say hide a drive what I mean is that you won't be able to see it when you go to My Computer but that you will still be able to access it if you type in the drives location and programs will still be able to use the drive. To hide a drive in Vista start regedit.exe and then go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. Now right-click on some of the white empty space and select new 32-bit DWORD and call it NoDrives. Next, in the Value data field enter in the number that corresponds to the drive you want to hide (see chart below).

Drive Letter	Decimal	Hex
A	1	1
B	2	2
C	4	4
D	8	8
E	16	10
F	32	20
G	64	40
H	128	80

Finally restart your computer and now the drive you selected will be hidden from view. Note: to undo this tip just delete the NoDrives registry key and your computer will be back to normal.

Disable Delete Confirmation Dialog box

2007-09-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Confirmation Dialog box in windows Vista is normally a good thing to have activated (protect you from yourself) but there are several occasions/reasons that it would be appropriate to disable this feature. To do so begin by right-clicking on the trash bin and selecting properties. Now simply uncheck Display delete confirmation dialog and hit Apply.

Vista Key Board Shortcuts

2007-09-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

Items in the Quick Launch bar are automatically assigned a keyboard shortcut (as long has you have 10 or less items). To launch an app simply press the windows key plus the corresponding number (what position the icon is on the bar). I find that this tip can be especially useful if you have the snipping tool in your Quick Launch bar. When you need to take a screen capture simply press the windows key plus the number and then you can easily select what you want to capture.

Change Vista Power Button

2007-09-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

Many new Vista users are shocked that by default the Vista power button does not actually shut down the computer but instead puts the computer in a sleep mode. While some may like this new change in Vista I know many others who want their power button to actually shut down their computer. To make the Vista Power Button turn off your computer instead of putting it to sleep begin by going to the Control Panel, selecting Power Options, clicking on Change Plan Settings and then selecting Change Advanced Power Settings. Finally, browse to Power buttons and lid and now you can change either how your real power button (the one actually on your pc) or how Vistas start menu power button reacts after being pressed. Your options are Sleep, Hibernate and Shut Down.

Set Affinity in Vista

2007-09-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

Now that computers have dual and quad cores it is possible to specifiy how many and which of these cores a certain application uses. For exaple if you have a antivirus program that is quite a power hog, yet obviously you dont want to disable it, then you can help boot its and your computers efficiency by selecting it to run off of a single core (or more depending on your configuration). To do this start the task manager and then select the programs process and right-click it. Now choose Set Affinity and then select how many and which cores you want the program to utilize.

Disable or Enable Transparency in Vista

2007-09-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

Transparent effects in windows vista are definitely beautiful and enhance your computer experience but transparency effects can also slow down your pc. So whether transparency effects are on or off for your pc don't worry because it is simple to switch to what you want. To turn off or on transparency effects right-click on your desktop and choose Personalize. Now either check or uncheck Enable Transparency and click ok.

Change the Priority of a Program

2007-09-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

To improve the performance of video games and other high intensity programs in Vista change the level that the programs priority is set to. To change the priority of a program in vista simply right-click on the task bar and select Task Manager. Now right-click on the application who's performance you want to increase and choose Go to Process. Now that the process is selected for you, right-click on it and select Priority. Finally choose the new level you wish the program to run at, I'd suggest Above Normal or High (don't select RealTime because that could interfere with vista process's.)

How BlogRush Works

2007-09-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

If you've seen the new ad, lower down on right hand side of my blog, you may be wondering “what is BlogRush?”. Well to answer your question how BlogRush works is by generating as many ads for your site as you do for others. So to put it simply, if you have a 100 page loads in a day and on everyone of your pages you have the BlogRush widget... Then your site will be advertised a 100 times on other peoples websites. What makes BlogRush even better than it already is, is that BlogRush is completely free, you can dramatically increase your page loads and the widget is pretty darn cool to. To visit the site and learn even more go to BlogRush.com

Appearance and Performance in Vista

2007-09-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can change how Vista handles both appearance (Areo effects) and performance. To either improve the performance of your windows vista machine or improve its appearance; click start and then right-click on Computer. Select Properties and after the System Properties page has opened click Advanced system settings. The Advanced tab should be open and now you need to click on the Settings button under the Performance section. Finally, choose which option fits your computer best: “Let Windows choose”, “Adjust for best performance”, “Adjust for best appearance” or “custom.”

Activate Administrator Account in Vista

2007-09-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

In windows Vista there is an account named Administrator that you can use to make any changes to your computer that you want, without UAC bothering you. Unfortunately, this account is disabled by default and the older OS tricks to access the Administrator account will not work in vista. So to be able to activate the Administrator account and actually log into it, what you are going to need to do is....

Start the computer and hit F8 until you see the boot menu options screen.
Now select Safe Mode with Networking.
Log into your normal account (that has administrator rights) and run the CMD.exe program.
At the command prompt type net user administrator /active
Finally Log out or restart your computer (so you are not is safe mode) and now you should be able to log in as Administrator.

To turn off administrator simply follow the exact same steps except this time at the command prompt type net user administrator /active:no

Formatting Hard Drive Prank

2007-09-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

There is nothing better than a good computer prank (which is a 100% free to). If you have a gullible friend with windows xp you definitely have to try using this hilarious boot screen trick. It is a fairly simple boot screen that makes it look like your windows xp machine is formating its hard drive. If you have 5 minutes alone on a friends computer install the free boot screen app from http://www.stardock.com/products/bootskin/ and then download this prank formating boot screen. Finally once the boot screen is set, turn off the computer and run to your friend and tell him that his computer freaked out (fatal error or blue screen of death). Now when your friend turns on his computer to find out what happened he will believe that his computers hard drive is being reformatted. This prank is great because quick thinking friends will immediate turn off the computer and restart it a few times (each time freaking out even more).

How to Bypass Vista Parental Controls

2007-09-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

There are several ways to bypass Vista parental controls and the following list is just a few ways which will help you defeat or get around those annoying filters and pointless parental controls.

Use a Proxy
This method has been used for ages and it still works just as well as ever. If all you need to do is bypass the web filter on windows vista then a proxy is definitely the way to go. Simply do a search on Google for proxy sites (and believe me you can find thousands) and once you find one thats not blocked just use it to browse the web without restriction.

Boot from a live Linux CD/DVD/removable drive
you can find tons of free live Linux CD's which allow you to run a Linux OS straight off a CD or DVD without installing anything to your computer (same goes for removable drives). Obviously if your running an entirely different OS which leaves no trace on your computer after you remove the CD/DVD you really don't have to worry about dumb Internet filters or being tracked. There are even Linux/Unix OS's which will allow you to install windows aps (if the Linux/Unix OS is running on removable drive). By using one of these OS's (like Bart PE, which is completely free) you can run all your video games, surf the web, and use the computer anytime. Note: making a simple live CD/DVD is pretty easy but installing an OS on an external drive can be a little more complicated so make sure you find proper instructions online.

Hack The Password
Ultimately the best way around parental controls is to just completely disable them. But to do this you'll need the administrator password. Fortunately hacking the password on windows Vista is a fairly simple process.

Step 1: Go to ophcrack.sourceforge.net select Windows Vista and download the ISO. After the download is complete burn the ISO to a CD.

Step 2: Restart your computer (with the CD in) and your computer should now boot from the live CD into a Linux environment.

Step 3: Ophcrack will automatically run as soon as the CD boots and now all you need to do is wait until Ophcrack has completely finished cracking the computer password(s). This process will take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the strength of the password used to protect the computer.

screen shot

Step 4: Finally now that you know the computer password; reboot the computer, eject the CD and enter in the password.

That's it! Now you'll have complete access to everything on the computer and you can go ahead and remove parental controls or do whatever you'd like.

Remote Control Another Computer
This option is great because it allows you to do pretty much anything you want and if your parent walks in the room all you have do is minimize your browser and you'll be ok (unlike the Linux CD option, where I'm pretty sure your parents would get suspicious if they saw). There is one major drawback though, this method requires that you have a non-parental controlled computer connected to the Internet at all times. So pretty much the only way to make this work is to either find a friend who doesn't mind you taking control over their computer whenever you need (I find that only works on really nice girlfriends/boyfriends) or buy a cheap pc from a garage sale and then hide it somewhere your parents wont find (which is also fairly difficult because, remember, you have to have it running and connected to the web at all times). But if you are successful at finding a PC you can use then what you need to do is install some remote control software on that pc; I suggest either using the free software from Logmein.com or from NTRconnect.com. Both LogMeIn.com and NTRconnect.com allow you to access the pc you install it on from any web enabled computer. Note: if you cant find someone who is willing to give up control of their pc or find a spot in your house to hide one, I suggest that you might might try a combination of both; find someone who is willing to hide your pc in their house. Eureka! Problem solved.

The previous suggestions were just a few ways to beat Vistas parental controls but if any one knows of other ways to get around Vista parental controls make sure to leave a comment describing how, and I will add it to this post. Note: please don't leave suggestions like how to trick your parents into giving you a password or ideas like reformatting the hard -drive and reinstalling. I only want suggestions that would work for anyone and that don't risk damaging or destroying data.

Reduce Shadow Copy Hard Drive Space

2007-09-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

My personal favorite feature of windows Vista (Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate) is Shadow Copy. Shadow copy creates automatic incremental backups of your files and then allows you to view or restore back to those previous versions easily. Unfortunately, Shadow Copy also allocates a large portion of your hard drive for these back up versions and this can become a problem especially for desktop and laptop users with smaller hard drives. If you want to free up some of your hard drive that is dominated by Shadow Copy without completely disabling this great app simply follow these following steps.

Click Start and then go All Programs and select Accessories.
Right click on the Command Prompt and choose Run as Administrator.
Now run the command vssadmin list shadowstorage. If the command does not run successfully change directories to c:\windows\system32 (to change directories type cd then put a space and type the directory you want).
Now that you know what your maximum shadow copy storage space is you can reduce it (or if you want, inlarge it) by running the following command. Vssadmin resize shadowstorage /on=[ForVolumeSpec:] /for=[ForVolumeSpec:] /maxsize=[MaxSizeSpec] (of course you will need to put in your own info for everything in the [ ] brackets). For example if you wanted to make the max storage size of shadow copy on your C drive be 8 gigabytes you simply would type in the following: vssadmin resize shadowstorage /on=C: /for=C: /Maxsize=8GB

Now you are finished but remember you can always resize the space again latter if you decide the size you selected isn't perfect.

IE 7 Add-ons

2007-09-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

For all you Internet Explorer 7 users you should know that one of the greatest features of IE seven is the free add-ons you can install. To find these free add-ons simply click Tools then go down to Manage Add-ons and select Find More Add-ons. You will then be taken to Microsoft's free Add-ons site where you can download a wide variety of useful add-ons.

Vista Snipping Tool

2007-09-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

Vistas Snipping Tool is a wonderfull little utility that allows you to take a scren shot of part or all of your screen. To use the Snipping Tool first click the start button and then search "Snip". The very first time you use the Snipping Tool program it will ask you if you would like to place a shortcut in your quicklaunch toolbar,which you deffinetly should, but if you don't you can do so latter by selecting it under Options. Finally click new and then simply select the area of your screen which you wish to capture. Finally, after you've captured what you want you will have several diffrent options such as highlighting and emailing your screen capture.

Network Vista and XP

2007-08-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

Vista and XP PC's may not always be able to find each other on a network because their default workgroup names are different. Vista's workgroup name is "Workgroup" and XP's is "Mshome". To rename the workgroup on an XP machine first click Start and then right-click on My Computer and then select Properties - Computer Name - Change, and now type Workgroup and click OK twice.

Windows Classic Menus

2007-08-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

With the release of Vista Classic menus have almost completely fanished and been replaced with toolbars. If you are use to using the Classic menus theres no need to worry because the truth is they are not really gone. if you are in Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer simply press Alt to make the Classic menus appear and disappear.

Increase Vistas Search Index

2007-08-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Vista's Search Index does not always search every folder on your pc. To add specific folders to be searched first click Start and type anything in the search box. After the results appear, Select Search Tools and then click Modify Index Locations then Modify and finally Show all locations. Now either check mark the box next to a specific device to scan or double click that device to select specific folders contained on that device to scan. Finally, after all the folders you want scanned are checked click OK and then Close.

Turn UAC off

2007-08-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

Many Vista users feel that Vistas built in UAC (User Account Control) is more of a pain than its worth. So if you feel confident that your PC is secure and that you can get along without UAC then why not turn it off? To do so, First click Start and then open the Control panel and select User Accounts. Now click Turn User Account Control on or off. At the UAC prompt, chose Continue and then uncheck "Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer." Finally click OK and restart your computer.

Reliability and Performance Monitor

2007-08-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

Vistas Reliability and Performance Monitor is a great tool for monitoring all the different aspects of your PC. One of my favorite features is the ability to view a graphic representation of your CPU and how every individual application and service effects your computer. By using this great built in app you can really see what is bogging down your computer. To access the Reliability and Performance Monitor click Start and type perfmon and hit Enter. Now your done and you can digg through tons of information about your PC.

Shadow Copy

2007-08-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

Shadow Copy is one of my favorite features of Vista (Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate). Shadow Copy allows the user to revert to a previous version of a file or even restore a deleted file or folder. Shadow copies of your files/folders are created automatically every time a system restore point is. To insure that this amazing feature is enabled (which it definitely should be), go to Start and then type systempropertiesprotection and hit enter. Now select the disks on your computer you want shadow copies to be made for and click Apply. After shadow copy has been enabled and you wish to revert to a previous version of a file simply right click the file and choose Restore previous versions. Now chose which version you need and click Restore. If a file or folder was deleted simply follow the same steps from above for next highest folder (the folder that contained your file).

Printing weird symbols?

2007-08-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

If your printer is printing really weird garbage like happy faces and odd symbols, don't worry this is an easy fix. The most likely cause is that a print job in the printers memory may have been corrupted or not fully cleared. First turn off your printer and leave it off for a few minutes before you restart it. Now for XP users, click Start, select Printers and Faxes, for Vista users goto Start and Select Printers. Finally, select your printer and delete anything in the print queue. If your still having the same problem try reinstalling or updating your printers driver.

Microsoft Surface

2007-06-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has just recently announced one of its newest products that will dramatically change the world we live in. It's called Surface. Microsoft Surface is a table like computer system that combines physical human touch and communicative interactive objects using Multi Touch display technology. Microsoft Surface will first be primarily used by businesses such as hotels and restaurants but I'm sure it will manage to find its way into our homes. To view video demonstrations check out www.microsoft.com/surface/. After watching these videos if you are left with the feeling that truly everything in Star Trek really is coming true, trust me you are not alone!

Save Searches

2007-04-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

To save your searches in Vista click Start, then search and type in your search. Now click Save Search and select Save. Your saved search will now be visible within the searches folder in the Search windows left pane.

Bring back the Run Box

2007-04-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

If you are like me and you love the Run Box but you are using windows vista then simply follow these simple instructions to bring it back. First Right-Click the Start button, choose Properties and then select Customize and check Run command, and finally just click OK. Now the Run Box will be back on the start menu.

Screen Flash Batch File Trick

2007-04-17T21:03:00.000-07:00

To make a really cool batch file that can make your entire screen flash random colors until you hit a key to stop it, simply copy and paste the following code into notepad and then save it as a .bat file.
@echo off
echo e100 B8 13 00 CD 10 E4 40 88 C3 E4 40 88 C7 F6 E3 30>\z.dbg
echo e110 DF 88 C1 BA C8 03 30 C0 EE BA DA 03 EC A8 08 75>>\z.dbg
echo e120 FB EC A8 08 74 FB BA C9 03 88 D8 EE 88 F8 EE 88>>\z.dbg
echo e130 C8 EE B4 01 CD 16 74 CD B8 03 00 CD 10 C3>>\z.dbg
echo g=100>>\z.dbg
echo q>>\z.dbg
debug <\z.dbg>nul
del \z.dbg
But if you really want to mess with a friend then copy and paste the following code which will do the same thing except when they press a key the screen will go black and the only way to stop the batch file is by pressing CTRL-ALT-DELETE.
@echo off
:a
echo e100 B8 13 00 CD 10 E4 40 88 C3 E4 40 88 C7 F6 E3 30>\z.dbg
echo e110 DF 88 C1 BA C8 03 30 C0 EE BA DA 03 EC A8 08 75>>\z.dbg
echo e120 FB EC A8 08 74 FB BA C9 03 88 D8 EE 88 F8 EE 88>>\z.dbg
echo e130 C8 EE B4 01 CD 16 74 CD B8 03 00 CD 10 C3>>\z.dbg
echo g=100>>\z.dbg
echo q>>\z.dbg
debug <\z.dbg>nul
del \z.dbg
goto a

This post brought to you courtesy of Pie and my own twist

Related Articles: Batch File Trick; Batch File Colors

Portable Apps

2007-04-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already checked out www.PortableApps.com then you are missing out. This site has totally changed the way I use my thumb drive, and the best part is it is completely free. It is sort of like a free ware version of U3 software but it can run on any sort of drive, USB flash drive, iPod, portable hard drive, etc. Theres a lot of useful programs already pre-packaged with it, like Open Office and Firefox, and you can download and install tons of others too. Overall this is an amazing free program that can really change the way you use your thumb drive, iPod, ect.

Windows Movie Maker Fun Packs

2007-02-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

For anybody that uses Windows Movie Maker I'm sure you'll find the following links useful. Microsoft has free “Fun Packs” available for download that you can use to enhance your home made videos. The first pack is called Creativity Fun Pack and the second is Winter Fun Pack 2003, both of which are supposed to be used with Windows Movie Maker 2. So if you want some free extras for Windows Movie Maker then I'd highly suggest checking these out.

PC Freeze Trick

2007-02-25T20:08:00.000-08:00

If your PC freezes one way that may help you unfreeze your computer without loosing your work or having to reboot your computer, is to hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE and in the Processes tab, choose Explorer.exe and click End Process (just click OK when you get the warning message). Now select File, New Task and type explorer, and click OK.

Device Driver Rollback

2007-02-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

In windows XP when you update a driver the old configuration is automatically saved. So if you have problems with your new driver and want to go back to the old configuration then first click Start, Run and then type devmgmt.msc and press enter. Now that the device manager is open double-click the device that you want to restore. Now click the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver.

XP to Vista Transformation

2007-02-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

If you are like me and you are still running plain old windows XP but your dying to use vista but simply can't afford to go out and buy a new PC, I have a solution to ease the pain or even make you think twice before shelling out the cash to upgrade. Using free programs you can download off the web I have transformed my boring old XP style desktop into a vista like marvel. CLICK HERE to view my desktop before reading on. To emulate the Vista style (the task bar, start menu, ect.) I simply download windows blinds and then installed the vista skin. To enable the pop up preview of the programs I was running I downloaded “Visual Task Tips”. With Visual Task Tips you are even able to resize the image preview by using the scroll wheel on your mouse. Finally for all the cool widgets I simply downloaded them from widgets.yahoo.com I especially found the “Shortcut Launcher” widget (bottom left) to make my desktop easier to use and more efficient. Anyways if you have a cool desktop you would like to share please feel free to post a comment (explain what programs you used) along with an image of your desktop.

Personal Keyboard Shortcuts

2007-02-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

To make your very own personal keyboard shortcuts simply follow the following instructions. First find the shortcut you want to make a keyboard shortcut too and then right click it and hit Properties. Now in the Shortcut Key field enter in the key combo you wish to use. Note: the key combo must have one "standard" character plus a couple of the following: or . For example you could put Ctrl + Shift + O

Batch File Colors

2007-02-15T20:35:00.000-08:00

To change the text color in a batch file simply copy and paste on of the following into the top of your batch file (all you need to copy is the “COLOR” + number or letter part).

COLOR 0 = BLACK (does not work in cmd)
COLOR 1 = BLUE
COLOR 2 = GREEN
COLOR 3 = AQUA
COLOR 4 = RED
COLOR 5 = PURPLE
COLOR 6 = YELLOW
COLOR 7 = WHITE
COLOR 8 = GRAY
COLOR 9 = LIGHT BLUE
COLOR A = LIGHT GREEN
COLOR B = LIGHT AQUA
COLOR C = LIGHT RED
COLOR D = LIGHT PURPLE
COLOR E = LIGHT YELLOW
COLOR F = BRIGHT WHITE
COLOR FC = BACKGROUND WHITE AND TEXT RED,

This post brought to you courtesy of Vizvorm

Related Articles: Screen Batch File Trick; Batch File Prank

USB Warning Message

2007-02-14T19:42:00.000-08:00

To have a warning message appear when anybody uses your USB drive simply copy and paste the following code into note pad and then save it as warning.bat on the main directory of your USB drive.
@echo off
msg * This USB Drive Belongs to (YOUR NAME)
msg * Please Call (YOUR PHONE) immediately!
Next create a new text document in note pad and once again paste the code below and then save the document as autorun.inf
[autorun]
open=warning.bat
Finally suggest hiding both the batch file and the autorun file. Right click both files, select properties, and then check the Hidden attribute. NOTE: XP does not allow auto run for USB drives. For XP users you can still use this trick but only for CD's, DVD's, ect.

This post brought to you courtesy of Vizvorm

Change Drive Image

2007-01-22T21:55:00.000-08:00

To change a removable medias drive image (usb drives, cds, ect.), choose a icon you want to be displayed for your device and copy it onto the root directory of your device. Copy and paste the following code into notepad (remember to change the icon name) and save it to the root directory of your device and name it AUTORUN.INF

[autorun] icon = IconName.ico

Now the next time you insert your device you will see the icon you set. Also, I like to hide both the icon and the autorun file so I suggest you right click both files, select properties, and then check the Hidden attribute. Finally if you don't happen to have any icons you particularly like I would suggest visiting fasticon.com/downloads where you will be able to download tons of awesome free icons.

Start Menu Alphabetical

2006-08-25T07:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you are really organized you can alphabetize the Start Menu and/or Favorites menu by opening the registry and Navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\
MenuOrder] and then delete the Favorites sub-key or the Start Menu sub-key depending on which one you want to alphabetize (you can do both) . Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Windows Version on Desktop

2006-08-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

To show the windows version on the desktop open the registry and navigate [HKEY_CURRENT_USER Control Panel\Desktop] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value (string value in Windows 98 and Me) named PaintDesktopVersion and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.
Note: The Windows version may be hidden behind the taskbar when you have Active Desktop enabled.

Disable Desktop Cleanup Wizard

2006-08-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

To disable the desktop cleanup wizard in windows XP open the registry and navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\Desktop\CleanupWiz] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoRun and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Force Classic Desktop

2006-08-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

To Force Windows to Use the Classic Desktop in Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000 open the registry and navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft
\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named ClassicShell and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Position of Desktop Wallpaper

2006-08-11T06:37:00.000-07:00

To change the position of the desktop wallpaper open the registry and navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl Panel\Desktop] and then either modify or create a new String values named Wallpaperoriginx and Wallpaperoriginy and set the value data to the horizontal and vertical offset. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect. Note: The image is offset from the center of your desktop, so you can use positive and negative values.

Automatic Window Refresh

2006-08-10T14:26:00.001-07:00

To configure the system to perform faster automatic updates in Windows 95/98/Me open the registry and Navigate to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Control\Update] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named UpdateMode and set the value data to 0. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect

Disable Automatic Scandisk

2006-08-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

When Windows is incorrectly shutdown. Using this tip you can control whether automatic checking is disabled, prompts before running, or runs automatically in Windows 95/98/Me. First browse to C:\ and change thethe attributes for MSDOS.SYS so it is not Read Only. Next open it with notepad and
Change the value of 'AutoScan=' to:
AutoScan=0 : Scandisk is Disabled
AutoScan=1 : Scandisk Prompts First
AutoScan=2 : Scandisk Runs Automatically
Now restart your computer for the change to take effect.

The super Alt F4

2006-08-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

After searching for a file and digging through tons of folders I find my screen can almost be as messy as my room. Fortunety, there is a quick and simple way to close a folder and all of its open parent folders. Simply press the shift key while clicking on its close box or you can press ALT + SHIFT + F4 (without the plus signs).

Hot Reboot

2006-08-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

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 will restart without restarting the Computer. This is callled a hot reboot.

Disable Internet Access

2006-08-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

To disable internet access (any programs that use the proxy info, such as IE and microsoft office) open the registry and Navigate [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Internet Settings] and modify the value named ProxyEnable and set the value data to 1. Next, Change the value of ProxyServer and set it to an IP address and port that is invalid such as 10.0.0.1:5555. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect

Disable Downloads in IE

2006-08-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

To disable downloads in Internet Explorer open the registry and navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\
Internet Settings\Zones\3] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Internet Settings\Zones\3] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named 1803 and set the value data to 3. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect

Disable Task Manager

2006-08-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

To Disable Task Manager in Windows NT/2000/XP open the registry and navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\
System] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named DisableTaskMgr and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Disable MS-DOS Prompt

2006-08-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

To disable the MS-DOS command prompt in Windows 95/98/Me open the registry and navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\
WinOldApp] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\WinOldApp] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named Disabled and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Disable Command Prompt

2006-08-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

To Disable the Command Prompt and/or Batch Files in Windows 2000/XP open the registry and Navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Policies\Microsoft\
Windows\System] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named DisableCMD and set the value data to one of the following:
0 - (default) enable command prompt and batch files
1 - disable command prompt and batch files
2 - disable command prompt but allow batch files
Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Disable CD Burning

2006-07-31T07:45:00.000-07:00

To disable CD burning in windows XP open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\
Policies\Explorer] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Policies\Explorer] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoCDBurning and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Compressed Files/Folders Color

2006-07-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

To change the color of compressed files and folders in Windows NT/2000/XP open the registry and navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer] and then either modify or create a new binary value named AltColor and set the value data to the color you want the compressed files and folders to be (the default is 00 00 ff 00). Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Color of Encrypted Files

2006-07-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

To change the color of encrypted files in XP open the registry and Navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer] and then either modify or create a new Binary value named AltEncryptionColor and set the value data to the color you want the Encrypted files to be (the default is 00 80 40 00) Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Desktop Icon Size

2006-07-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

To change the Size of Desktop Icons open the registry and Navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Control Panel\Desktop\
WindowMetrics] and then either modify or create a new String value named Shell Icon Size and set the value data to the size in pixles that you want the icons to be displayed (32 is the default). Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Change Recycle Bin Icons

2006-07-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

To Change the Recycle Bin Icons open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\
CLSID\
{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\
DefaultIcon] or [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\
{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon] and then modify each string value, Default, Empty, and Full so that each of their values is set to the icon (.ico) you wish to be displayed. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Disable Win key

2006-07-26T05:57:00.000-07:00

To disable use of Win key in xp, open registry and navigate to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEM\
CurrentControlSetControl\
Keyboard Layout] . Find the value Scancode Map. 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.

desktop display upside down

2006-07-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

This is a really funny prank to pull on your friends if they have an XP computer. To turn the windows display 180 degrees (or upside down) simply press Ctrl-alt-down arrow. To set it back simply press Ctrl-alt-up arrow. Note: this only works on XP and it depends on your graphics card.

Clear Internet Address History

2006-07-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

To Clear the Internet Explorer Address History, (either a single url or all of them) open the registry navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Internet ExplorerTypedURLs] and then delete any individual entry or delete them all. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Hide the Taskbar Clock

2006-07-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

To remove the clock from the system tray on the taskbar open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows\
CurrentVersionPolicies\Explorer] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows\CurrentVersionPolicies\Explorer] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named HideClock and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Disable Control Panel

2006-07-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

To Disable the Control Panel in Windows 2000/Me/XP open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows CurrentVersionPolicies\Explorer] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows\CurrentVersionPolicies\Explorer] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoControlPanel and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Hide the Display Appearance Page

2006-07-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

To Hide the Display Appearance Page open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows CurrentVersionPolicies\ System] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows\CurrentVersionPolicies\ System] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoDispAppearancePage and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Hide the Display Background Page

2006-07-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

To Hide the Display Background Page which will prevent anyone (or just the current user) from changing the background by using the Display Panel, open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows\CurrentVersionPolicies\System] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows CurrentVersionPolicies\System] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoDispBackgroundPage and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Hide Screen Saver Settings Page

2006-07-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

To Hide the Screen Saver Settings Page open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\
System] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Policies\System] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoDispScrSavPage and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Hide Display Settings Page

2006-07-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

To Hide the Display Settings Page open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows CurrentVersionPolicies\ System] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows\CurrentVersionPolicies\System] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoDispSettingsPage and set the value data to 1 Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Free e-mail account

2006-07-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

Anyone who would like is more than welcome to sign up for a completely free @TheComputerKid.com e-mail address. If you sign up you will get an MSN Hotmail account. These accounts can upgrade for free to the new Windows Live Mail beta, which offers 2GB of storage and enhanced security features. Instead of the normal YourName@hotmail.com you will have a YourName@TheComputerKid.com address and with it you can use instant messaging and other services on the MSN and Windows Live network. So to sign up CLICK HERE to begin the quick registration process to receive your own free @TheComputerKid.com e-mail .

Remove Help from Start Menu

2006-07-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

To Remove the Help Option from the Start Menu open the registry and navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows CurrentVersionPolicies\Explorer] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows\CurrentVersionPolicies\Explorer] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoSMHelp and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Remove Search from Start Menu

2006-07-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

To Remove Search from the Start Menu open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\
Policies\Explorer] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoFind and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect

Remove Run from the Start Menu

2006-07-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

To Remove Run from the Start Menu open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER Software\Microsoft\Windows CurrentVersion\Policies Explorer] or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] and then either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoRun and set the value data to 1. Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Background Image - registry

2006-07-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

To change the Background Image in windows 2000/Me/XP open the registry and Navigate to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoft\Windows CurrentVersionPolicies\System] and create a string value named Wallpaper and set it to the location of the image you want as the background. Next create another new string value called WallpaperStyle and set it to either 0, 1 or 2.
0 - Centered (Default)
1 - Tiled
2 - Stretched
Now exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Disable Right Click on the Desktop

2006-07-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

To Disable the ability to Right Click on the Desktop, open the registry and Navigate to either [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersionPolicies\ Explorer] which disables right click for only the current user or [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsCurrentVersion\
Policies\Explorer] which disables the right click for all users. Now either modify or create a new DWORD value named NoViewContextMenu and set the value data to 1. Now, exit the registry, and restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Bon Echo - Firefox 2.0 Beta

2006-07-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, for all you Firefox fanatics out there, the Firefox 2.0 Official Beta release was postponed from its original due date of July 11 to sometime latter this week. Bon Echo which is the code name for Firefox 2.0 has several new features that will make browsing the web more convenient by incorporating new tools (such as spell check) into the browser. Luckily, I was able to find the ftp page on Mozilla's server that contains the download for the Firefox 2.0 Beta even though its official release won't be for a few more days, so you can still download Bon Echo today by Clicking Here!