Helpful tips for May 2011

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 _________________________ 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. Ontario California If you want to relocate to a city in the sun and one where you can get away from all of the clutter and confusion, then look no further than Ontario California. Ah yes! Ontario! Ideally and centrally located within shouting distances of both Los Angeles and the coast. A city that offers a wonderful life to families as well as to those seeking a decent start in life. A city that has an economy with thriving sectors in service and warehousing. Come and see for yourself. 2. Salem Oregon Looking for a truly unique city where you can have fun all year round? From swimming and surfing to skiing and snow boarding? Well, welcome to Salem Oregon! A city that is nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the sandy beaches. A city with very safe neighborhoods, lots of green parks, and oodles of recreational activities. From soccer and tennis to swimming all year round. Salem also has magnificent retirement facilities for seniors, great neighborhoods for the family, and lucrative job opportunities for the one looking for a start in life. 3. Philadelphia Pennsylvania If you are seeking to relocate to a city where you can either inhance your business skills or attend school to improve your chances of snagging that great career, then look no further than good old Philadelphia Pennsylvania. One of America’s most historic and oldest cities, Philadelphia offers excellent educational and health care facilities. It is home to excellent schools of law and medicine as well as to many Fortune 500 companies. Excellent hospitals abound. Great opportunities for you to expand your business. One of America’s major tourist and cultural centers. Philadelphia is also home to some of the best sports teams in the country. 4. Hollywood California If you are having difficulty deciding on your next vacation spot, then why not consider Hollywood California? A city that never sleeps and one where millions have come and gone in search of their dreams and fortunes. The center of the universe when it comes to the film industry and entertainment, Hollywood also offers fantastic shopping, great museums, and wondrous site seeing. Come and visit Universal Studios, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and who knows! You may even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of your favorite movie star! 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: “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.” Harvey MacKay _________________________ Quote For Today: If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all. Anna Quindlen _________________________ Quote For Today: Acceptance is not submission; it is acknowledgment of the facts of a situation. Then deciding what you’re going to do about it. Kathleen Casey Theisen _________________________ Quote For Today: Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you…truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. Steve Jobs _________________________ Quote For Today:become. Everything else is secondary. “If you want to be respected by others the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by that, only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky _________________________ Quote For Today:become. Everything else is secondary. “You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world’s happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.” Dale Carnegie _________________________ Quote For Today: “Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny.” Carl Schurz _________________________ Quote For Today: Nothing can bring a real sense of security into the home except true love. Billy Graham _________________________ Quote For Today: “Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged.” Helen Keller _________________________ Quote For Today: When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness. Joseph Campbell _________________________ Quote For Today: Stop holding on to the past. Release your regrets about whatever you may have done or failed to do that turned out poorly. Forgive others for whatever they may have done or failed to do that cause you harm. Declare today to be a new beginning. Let go of the past and move on with creating a joyful new future for yourself. _________________________ Quote For Today: Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it. Bill Cosby _________________________ if you know of someone who would like to join Mama’s Corner, please contact me at: mamas-corner-owner@yahoogroups.com]]>