1. Carry Your Workspace
As we all know an USB drive can be carried with ease and portable
applications has made it quite easier to carry any type application that you
need for your work. You may refer to some productive portable applications
that can make you more productive or you can search for portable
applications of your choice on various websites. Some of the most popular
ones are listed below:
FC Portables
http://fcportables.blogspot.com/
Portable Freeware
http://www.portablefreeware.com/
Portable Apps
http://portableapps.com/
Pendrive Apps
http://www.pendriveapps.com/
>2. Hidden USB Drive :
There is a nice step by step tutorial by Windell Oskay describing how to
hide your USB drive within a torn USB cable. You can easily shock a couple
of your friends while playing a song from a torn USB cable plugged in to
your computer. Find the step by step tutorial on Evil Mad Scientist.
Link is here:
http://www.pendriveapps.com/
>3. Create an Autorun program:
It is really a vital feature while using any USB drive. We use it mostly
casually but it can be used for better purposes like launching any program
(located on your USB drive) automatically by just inserting the USB drive
into your computer. You can follow a detailed guide on Daily Cup of Tech by
Tim for creating an autorun file.
Link is here:
http://dailycupoftech.com/usb-drive-autoruninf-tweaking/
>4. Stop Auto-Runs From USB Drives:
A similar list of antidotes on how you could stop auto-running programs from
your USB drives can be found here:
http://www.ampercent.com/stop-usb-drive-autorun/2348/
This is very useful as many threats are reported to start from auto-run
menu. My suggestion to anyone would be, start programs (even the “Open to
View Files”) from the Auto-run dialog.
>5. Recover your lost USB Drive :
Portability is what makes the USB drives so indispensable and it is what
makes it so forgettable and vulnerable too. There are many occasions when I
forget to bring my keys and so is with my USB stick. And back in college, my
USB stick got stolen.
Only thing that I did then was sulk over my carelessness. Well now, I am
quite safe from this misfortunes. Here is a step by step guide from Tim that
will increase the chances of recovering your USB drive in case you lose it
or get robbed.
http://dailycupoftech.com/have-your-lost-usb-drive-ask-for-help/
You can also try
Codysafe
found here:
http://www.codyssey.com/products/codysafe.html
a free program that also serve the similar purpose. It also comes with a
program launcher like Portable Apps and a built-in antivirus (Drive Doctor)
for the files saved on your USB drive. Read a detailed review on the tool.
Found here:
http://maketecheasier.com/codysafe-carry-your-pc-wherever-you-go/2010/02/04
>6. Use your USB drive to Lock or Unlock Your PC:
When I first came to know about this trick I simply couldn’t resist myself
from using it. The very idea of locking my workspace with my USB drive makes
me feel more safe.
I have detailed this BIOS hack to lock your Windows XP with USB drive here:
http://www.ampercent.com/lock-pc-with-usb-drive/5411/
Also there is a free program named Predator that also lets you lock your
Windows workspace. You can read my detailed how-to on this tool here:
http://maketecheasier.com/lock-windows-pc-using-usb-drive/2010/04/30
>7. Create a Bootable USB Disk
One, if your netbook doesn’t have a DVD drive or yours is damaged and you
are willing to reinstall an operating system try creating a boot device with
your USB drive. Try using free tools like Image Writer found h ere:
http://www.ampercent.com/create-bootable-usb-drive-for-windows/6376/
or
WinToFlash to burn, found here:
http://wintoflash.com/home/en/
an
Windows OS installation image file onto a USB drive.
>8. Run an Operating System From USB
You already know that a new OS installation can be carried be carried out
from a USB disk. Well you can run a OS from USB too very much like the Live
CD.
Try
Puppy Linux, found here:
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/solutionbase-puppy-linux-teaches-an-old-dog-new-tricks/6171315
or,
XPUD, found here:
http://www.ampercent.com/install-portable-operating-system-usb-stick-xpud/7572/
or, Damn Small Linux, found here:
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Installing_to_a_USB_Flash_Drive
or finally,
Webconverger, found here:
http://webconverger.org/usb/
which may not be that feature-rich as an OS but are good enough to backup
dead PCs or troubleshoot the same. Well if you are eager enough to format a
USB that can run Windows XP from within it, head over here:
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/illustrated-walk-through-creating-a-bootable-usb-flash-drive-for-windows-xp/6160062
>9. Run a Website or Stand Alone Application from USB Disk
Server2Go, found here:
http://www.server2go-web.de/
is a free webserver that can run from write protected media. To ease it up,
lemme say, web apps based on Server2Go can be run from a usb stick without
the worries of configuring Apache, PHP or MySQL. The app lets you create PHP
applications or websites on USB sticks. Some examples listed on the
developer website are catalog software, calculation programme, image
campaigns (CMS-based), computer based training lessons etc. Many content
management systems like Joomla are also supported by this tool.
>10. Stay Safe: Get Files on Your USB Device Encrypted
Work was never confined to office. And with USB sticks we can carry
documents anywhere
to work on them when we get more time. So if you are carrying files that may
contain sensitive information, you might want to encrypt them since if it
falls on wrong hands you can guess the consequences. Try SecurStick, found
at:
http://www.ampercent.com/usb-flash-drive-encryption-software/5757/
Its a free program that hides your files behind password protected
encryption. You can also try the free version of USB Safe Guard for
preventing data theft from USB drives. It can be found here:
http://usbsafeguard.altervista.org/
>11. Backup USB Drive
ImageUSB,
found here:
http://www.ampercent.com/burn-images-to-usb-create-images-of-usb-backup-usb-flash-drives/7829/
and USB Flash Drive Managerare, found here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.01.utilityspotlight.aspx
two free utilities that will help you create a backup for your USB flash
drives.
>12. Speed Up Windows Using your USB Drive
Windows Vista and Windows 7 has an built-in feature coined as Windows
ReadyBoost that you can use to speed up your OS using USB flash drives. Here
is a detailed guide on Windows ReadyBoost that you can follow to apply on
your PC.
11. Create a password reset Disk For Windows
If you are on Windows Vista or Windows 7, use your USB drives for creating a
password reset disk. Read a detailed article on how you can create a USB
password reset disk on Windows 7 and Vista.
>13. Remove Alerts For USB Devices on Windows XP:
Follow this step by step tutorial on how you can disable alerts like, “This
device can perform faster” in Windows XP.
The guide is found here:
http://www.ampercent.com/what-is-windows-readyboost-7-vista-usb/7367/
>14. Hide files or folders in your USB Drive
Try Winmend if you are willing to use your USB drive to hide files or
folders. Read a detailed guide here:
http://www.ampercent.com/hide-files-folders-usb/3316/
Or you can use a simple trick to hide files within a USB Drive.
http://www.ampercent.com/simplest-way-to-hide-any-file-without-any-software/4957/
>15. Completely erase your Computer Hard disk
Have you considered erasing all the data on your hard disk before selling
it? Manual erasing is quite tiring. Nuke your hard disk with DBAN after
burning the tool onto a CD drive or USB drive.
http://www.dban.org/download
>extra. Crazy Looking USB Drives
This is not something that will help you tweak your USB drive, but this will
definitely ease up this geeky post a bit. Get to see some crazy looking USB
drives that are probably really awesome and awful at the same time.
Here is a link to crazy looking usb drives.
http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/top-10-most-pointless-usb-drives
Have you ever imagined of a USB Business card? Witness it here:
http://www.ampercent.com/business-card-flash-drive/7187/
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan’s Tech tips, please
contact Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
_________________________
Hacker Masters
http://www.ghacks.net/2011/04/11/what-to-do-when-your-email-account-is-compromised/
NOTE: Text for site’s links inserted by Dan Thompson, April 22 2011.
More and more I see spam coming from friends when I open my e-mail. In
addition to
this, people are telling me that they think their e-mail accounts have been
hacked.
Signs can be friends receiving messages you did not send, mail is marked
read that
they never saw, settings are changed, or anything else out of the ordinary.
In any
case, the question is the same:
“What do I do?”
While many Ghacks readers may know to follow these steps, having a guide
handy for
others is a useful thing. I can imagine many readers are resources for
friends, family,
and coworkers. These steps can serve as a checklist to ensure thoroughness.
This is a guide on how to reasonably secure your e-mail account. What to do
if you
lose access to your account is a different problem for another article. This
article
assumes you still have access, but strange things (as mentioned) are going
on. It
will cover the three most commonly used e-mail account types:
1. Gmail,
https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=mail&passive=true&rm=false&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2F%3Fshva%3D1%26ui%3Dhtml%26zy%3Dl&bsv=llya694le36z&ss=1&scc=1<mpl=default<mplcache=2
2. Hotmail,
https://login.live.com/login.srf?wa=wsignin1.0&rpsnv=11&ct=1303692548&rver=6.1.6206.0&wp=MBI&wreply=http:%2F%2Fmail.live.com%2Fdefault.aspx&lc=1033&id=64855&mkt=en-us&cbcxt=mai&snsc=1
3. Yahoo Mail,
https://login.yahoo.com/config/login_verify2?&.src=ym&rl=1
While changing the settings is pretty easy, finding them can be less than
obvious.
Here are links to some screenshots to help you find the general settings
page for
your account.
1. Yahoo Mail
http://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/YahooMail.png
2. Hotmail
http://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Hotmail.png
3. Gmail
http://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Gmail.png
Step 1 : Change Your Password
You need to do this immediately. This is akin to changing the locks on your
doors.
When you do not know exactly who has a key to your home, the locks are a
liability.
Count yourself lucky that you can get into your account. To change your
password,
log-in and go to Settings. Then follow the steps appropriate to your
account.
In Gmail:
Mail Settings > Accounts and Imports > Change Password
In Hotmail:
More Options > Account Details (look for “Change” next to password)
In Yahoo Mail:
Mail Options > Account Information > Change your password
Step 2 : Check Your Recovery E-mail Address
Your recovery e-mail address is the one that you use to reset/regain your
password.
However, if it was changed, it can be used to get the password to your
account. Take
a look to see if it is set to another account you own. If not, change it
immediately.
You also may want to follow these steps on that account.
In Gmail:
Mail Settings > Accounts and Imports > Change Password Recovery Options
In Hotmail:
More Options > Account Details (look for “Remove” next to an odd e-mail)
In Yahoo Mail:
Mail Options > Account Information > Update password-reset info
Step 3 : Change Your Hints
Most people forget about this, but it is a good idea to change your hints.
If the hacker knows the answer, they may be able to regain access. This
usually requires
the recovery e-mail address to be altered, but it is still better to change
your
hints. Since hints are usually used to reset passwords, they can be used to
change
your password.
In Gmail:
Mail Settings > Accounts and Imports > Change Password Recovery Options
In Hotmail:
More Options > Account Details (look for remove next to a question)
In Yahoo Mail:
Mail Options > Account Information > Update password-reset info
Step 4 : Check Your Forwards
Checking your forwards is going to be a tedious process, but it is
important. If
you only have time to skim them over, then do so, but make a thorough look
your next
priority. Your bank account may depend on it. Your e-mail account can be set
up to
send letters to other e-mail accounts. Most websites are set up to send new
passwords
to your e-mail address. That means that an unscrupulous person could ask the
site
for your password, set up your account to forward it to an account they have
access
to, and then get into the site. That could be a bank site, a blog, FaceBook,
http://www.ghacks.net/2011/04/11/what-to-do-when-your-email-account-is-compromised/
or anything else.
In Gmail:
Mail Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP
In Hotmail:
More Options > Email forwarding
In Yahoo Mail:
Mail Options > POP & Forwarding (note: a premium service)
Step 5 : Change All Your Passwords on Connected Accounts
Sadly, you have to assume that your forwards are compromised. You are going
to have
to go through each site you used your e-mail account to sign up with and
change the
password and hint. You might even want to associate them with a separate
account
to isolate critical e-mails. Alternatively, you could just change your
password and
hint on sensitive sites. Your bank and any financial websites should be
first. Social
networking sites like FaceBook and Twitter should be next.
Keep in Mind
You should always use a strong password for your accounts: one with
uppercase, lowercase,
numeric, and symbol characters. Ideally, you should have a different one for
each
account. At the very least your e-mail, financial, and social networking
sites should
have separate passwords.
Security is not about absolutes, but about making it difficult for others to
gain
access to your account.
It is worth noting that each of these services has an extra security
feature. You
can actually set up your account to use your phone for e-mail recovery. As I
have
not used it, it is beyond the scope of this article, but is worth
considering.
Addendum
If you have trouble logging in at all, you may want to take a look at the
following
guides to resolve the problem:
Hotmail Sign In Help
http://loginhelper.com/email/hotmail-sign-in-help/
Yahoo Mail Signin, Login Help (Yahoomail)
http://loginhelper.com/email/yahoo-mail-signin-login-help-yahoomail/
MSN Hotmail Sign In Troubleshooting
http://loginhelper.com/internet/msn-hotmail-sign-in-troubleshooting/
Google Sign In Help, Troubleshooting
http://loginhelper.com/internet/google-sign-in-help-troubleshooting/
Gmail Login
http://loginhelper.com/email/gmail-login/
If you have any questions about the tips posted in Dan’s Tech tips, please
contact
Dan at the following email address:
dthompson5@mchsi.com
_________________________
if you know of someone who would like to join Mama’s Corner, please contact
me at:
mamas-corner-owner@yahoogroups.com
_________________________
Top American cities
By Donna J. Jodhan at http://www.sterlingcreations.ca
1. Des Moines Iowa
If you are looking to lay down roots in a city that has it all, then look no
further than Des Moines Iowa.
A city that has been tagged as one of the best in which to do business in
America, Des Moines is home to several Fortune 500 companies.
Its economy is nicely diversified; manufacturing, health care,
communications, and finance.
The cost of living is extremely attractive; well below the national average
and this makes for very reasonable home prices.
Job opportunities abound, friendly neighborhoods await your attention, and
Des Moines’s cultural ambiance is one to be experienced.
2. Westminster Colorado
Looking for a city where you can live the idyllic life while at the same
time you can enjoy all the trappings of a large city?
Not possible you may be saying? Think again!
Nicely tucked away in one of the corners of Colorado lies the bedroom city
of Westminster.
With sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains, and close enough to Denver,
Westminster makes for the perfect place to be.
The cost of living is below the national average.
Westminster has been tagged as one of the best cities in America to live.
With open spaces, oodles of ponds and lakes, and a plethora of home styles,
this thriving city makes for a perfect location to either live or vacation.
3. Washington DC
If you enjoy history, culture, the arts, and a flare for the dramatics, then
welcome to Washington DC.
A city that never sleeps and one where you can learn so much about our
country’s affairs.
From congressmen to senators and from students to high powered executives,
Washington DC is the place to be.
This city is blessed with some of the beautiful landscape; lush green parks
and broad avenues that closemirror the city of Paris.
Washington DC is most beautiful in the spring; the blooming flowers.
Come and enjoy a recital at the famous Kennedy Center or take a tour of the
White House.
4. Amarillo Texas
Welcome to the charming city of Amarillo Texas!
A city that is litterally drowned in acres of beautiful yellow flowers!
Simply natural beauty.
A city where homes stand on lots of land; a lot of space for you to breathe
and grow.
Homes are extremely affordable; the one storey spanish style dominates.
The weather is warm, lots of greenery, and cattle ranches abound.
Amarillo is one of the largest cattle ranching centers in the world.
For you steak lovers, Amarillo offers the best that America has to offer.
I’m Donna J. Jodhan bidding you a happy travel time.
Visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca if you would like to learn more.
Or send me an email at donnajodhan@sterlingcreations.ca.
If you would like to learn more about Donna J. Jodhan then visit
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca.
_________________________
Quotes for the day
Taken from Melanie mama’s corner
Quote For Today:
First, recognize that you are not a sheep who will be satisfied with only a
few nibbles
of dry grass or with following the herd as they wander aimlessly, bleating
and whining,
all of their days. Separate yourself now from the multitude of humanity so
that you
will be able to control your own destiny. Remember that what others think
and say
and do need never influence what you think and say and do.
Og Mandino
_________________________
Quote For Today:
To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering
and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in, and scramble through as
well as we can.
Sydney Smith
_________________________
Quote For Today:
Whatever decision we make in life, let us not forget that things do happen
for a
reason. In a life full of wonders and surprises, we can never expect things
to turn
out the way we want to all the time. But one thing’s for sure…
Let us not look back to the “road of regret” because there’s always some
form of
“light” in whatever lies ahead.
_________________________
Quote For Today:
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure.
There
is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our
eyes open.”
Jawaharlal Nehru
_________________________
Quote For Today:
“Though I might travel afar, I will meet only what I carry with me, for
every man
is a mirror. We see only ourselves reflected in those around us. Their
attitudes
and actions are only a reflection of our own. The whole world and its
condition has
its counter parts within us all. Turn the gaze inward. Correct yourself and
your
world will change.”
Kirsten Zambucka
_________________________
Quote For Today:
Love is a gift of one’s inner most soul to another so both can be whole.
Tea Rose
_________________________
In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out
completes the circle and comes back to us.
Flora Edwards
_________________________
Quote For Today:
“Our attitudes control our lives. Attitudes are a secret power working
twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of paramount importance that
we know how to harness and control this great force.”
Irving Berlin
_________________________
Quote For Today:
You can tell more about a person from their kindness to strangers than you
can from any words they might say.
Gail Lynne Goodwin
_________________________
Quote For Today:
“Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it foregoes revenge and
dares to forgive an injury.”
Edwin Hubbel Chapin
_________________________
Quote For Today:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we
are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most
frightens us.
Marianne Williamson
_________________________
Quote For Today:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments
that take our breath away.
_________________________
Quote For Today:
Even when the sky appears at its darkest, the sun shines ever upon you, love
surrounds you, and the pure Light within you will guide your way home. So
trust the process of your life unfolding, and know with certainty, through
the peaks and valleys of your journey, that your soul rests safe and secure
in the arms of Spirit.
Dan Millman
_________________________
Quote For Today:
I always wanted a happy ending… Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some
poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle and
end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and
making the best of it without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious
ambiguity.
Gilda Radner
_________________________
Quote For Today:
“To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will
receive untold peace and happiness.”
Robert Muller
_________________________
if you know of someone who would like to join Mama’s Corner, please contact
me at:
mamas-corner-owner@yahoogroups.com]]>
