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Archive for the ‘Windows Vista’ Category

Sep
02

high resolution windows 7 wallpapers for big screens

No commentsWindows Vista, Windows XPSeptember 2nd, 2009

As you guys know that I have been playing with Windows 7beta for four days now, so I thought to pimp it up a little which in my definition is putting on some cool wallpaper and screwing it a little bit from and there usually to enhance its appearance. Windows 7 drastically decreases the need of any third party softwares to customize its looks unlike Windows XP or even Vista. Its taskbar is brilliant which means most users won’t try to use Rocketdock or use Windows Visual styles. If you are still trying Rocketdock icons on Vista then you should probably buy a Mac. Nevertheless here are some of the cool wallpapers which I am gonna try on Windows 7.

Windows 7 by Youness-Toulouse

Windows-7-two
Windows-7-three

Happy-new-year-2009

Windows-7-five

Jul
07

Disabling AutoRun/AutoPlay using Control Panel in Windows 7

No commentsWindows VistaJuly 7th, 2009

Disabling AutoRun/AutoPlay 

One of the most prolific spreading tools for e-threats, such as Trojans or viruses, relies on the exploitation of a simple, but, for cybercriminals’ purposes, very effective feature of the Microsoft® operation system, called AutoRun and/or AutoPlay. 

AutoRun/AutoPlay allows the initiation or execution of several actions, such as to play the audio/video content in the appropriate player or to launch particular software, namely a setup routine, when CDs, DVDs, USB sticks and flash drives or portable HDDs are inserted or plugged in. 

This innocent behavior can be “hijacked” towards malicious purposes, via the corruption of the files that actually store the information required by the operating system to read the media content or perform a suite of actions. Thus, instead of just reading a Word document, playing a movie that is stored on a DVD or opening the initial panel for setting up an application, the user could involuntarily trigger a concealed piece of malware that steals his or her sensitive data, such as usernames, passwords or address book entries, records key strokes and sends details about his or her on-line transactions, namely credit card numbers, or opens the door to even more unwanted e-threats. 

According to our latest E-Threats Landscape Report , AutoRun feature ranks among the Top 10 Malware Dissemination Methods, being accountable for 5.22% of the total amount of infections worldwide. Part of the current Downadup or Conficker worm pandemic was actually carried away via intermediary variants that exploited this specific feature. 

To protect your system and data and to prevent malware infections, there are several ways to disable the AutoRun/AutoPlay feature. 
 

Disabling AutoRun/AutoPlay using Control Panel

1. Choose Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > AutoPlay.
The AutoPlay window opens. 

2. Uncheck Use AutoPlay for all media and devices option.
OR 
From the media content drop-down lists, choose Take no action. 

 

Disable Windows Autorun

  
  
3. Click Save. 
  

Disabling AutoRun/AutoPlay using Policy Editor

1. Click Start. 
2. In the Search programs and files box, type gpedit.msc.
 
Disable Windows Autorun 
The Local Group Policies Editor displays. 
3. In the left pane hierarchy, browse to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > AutoPlay Policies. 

4. In the AutoPlay Policies right window, from the Settings list choose Turn off Autoplay.
 

Disable Windows Autorun 
  
5. Click Edit policy setting.
The Turn off Autoplay window opens. 

6. From the upper-left list, choose Enabled.
 

Disable Windows Autorun 
  
7. From the lower-left drop-down list of Options choose All drives. 
8. Click Apply. 

9. Click OK.

Jul
07

Windows Vista cannot see second hard disk

No commentsWindows VistaJuly 7th, 2009

Problem:

 looked through the forums and didnt see this come up, but it might have already been answered. A friend of mine recently upgraded to Vista from XP. He had problems with installing over top of XP, so he finally just did an entire clean install of Vista, but before he did he put all his files on his second Hard Disk.
Well, Vista is working, except he cannot get to any of the files on his second drive. He can SEE the second drive, but cannot access that whole drive. Has anyone experienced this before?


 

 

Solution:

Right click on my computer and choose manage

Go into disk management.


It will list all physical drives and partitions attatched. He may have to assign it a drive letter. If so, he can do it here

Jul
07

Windows Vista tcpip.sys Connection – protect the system from being used by malicious programs

No commentsWindows VistaJuly 7th, 2009

Apparently in Windows Vista, Microsoft still enforce and hard-limit (hard coded in tcpip.sys) the maximum simultaneous half-open (incomplete) outbound TCP connection attempts per second that the system can make, as in Windows XP SP2, in order to protect the system from being used by malicious programs, such as viruses and worms, to spread to uninfected computers, or to launch distributed denial of service attack (DDoS). When the limit is hit, in Event Viewer, there will be such an entry: 


EventID 4226: TCP/IP has reached the security limit imposed on the number of concurrent TCP connect attempts
 
Unless Windows XP SP2 which has 10 maximum incomplete concurrent connection attempts limit per second, Windows Vista default limit is based on which edition of Vista users are using. For example, Home Basic has maximum limit of 2, and Vista Ultimate is 25 per second. Normal Windows Vista users should not face any problem or slow network connection with the half-open connections limit. However, heavy P2P (peer-to-peer) applications users such as uTorrent, BitTorrent, BitComet, Azureus, ABC, eMule (eDonkey network), etc, or P2PTV such as TVants, PPLive, PPStream, Sopcast, etc may face some error or slow download and upload speed due to this limit. 
Due to enhanced security, to fix or crack the TCP concurrent connection limit in Vista is not as easy as in Windows XP. To remove maximum concurrent half-open connection limits in Windows Vista, apply the patched tcpip.sys with the following steps: 

  1. Download patched tcpip.sys: Vista TCP/IP and UAC Auto Patcher (patched tcpip.sys is contained inside the archive) 64-bit tcpip.sys or 32-bit tcpip.sys. Alternative download link for 32-bit and 64-bit.
  • Open command prompt, and run the following 2 commands:
    1. takeown /f c:windowssystem32drivers cpip.sys
    2. cacls c:windowssystem32drivers cpip.sys /G “username”:F 
    Replace username with the actual user name that used to log on to Windows Vista currently. 
    The second command can also used improved lcacls: 
    icacls c:WindowsSystem32drivers cpip.sys /grant “username”:f 
  • Disable the TCP/IP Auto-Tuning feature by running the following command in command prompt:
    netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disable 
  • For 64-bit Windows Vista (x64), the integrity checks need to be disabled as it need all drivers to be signed. So run the following command in DOS prompt:

    • bcdedit.exe -set loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS 
    Note: Above command no longer supported, and users require to press F8 on system startup to bypass driver signing integrity check. 

  • Replace the tcpip.sys in C:windowssystem32drivers folder with the patched tcpip.sys downloaded from step 1 (remember the use the correct x64 or x86 version）. Normally, this procedure can be done by simply login to Windows Vista with administrator account. However, if the process failed, reboot the computer and then press F8 to boot up in Safe Mode, and then copy and paste overwrite the tcpip.sys.
  • Next, the maximum number of TCP half complete connection limits need to be set in registry. Open registry editor (regedit), and navigate to the following registry key:
    HKEY_LOCALL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesTcpipParameters 
  • Right click on the right pane, select “New”, then select “DWORD value”. Enter the new value name as “TcpNumConnections” (without quotes).
  • Double click on TcpNumConnections registry value, and modify the value data to the desired maximum TCP/IP connection limit that you want to allow, in decimal value. For example, enter 500 as the value data for TcpNumConnections. You can use any limit that you prefer. Alternatively, download this registry registration file (another download link) that when executed, will set the TCP simultaneous connection limit to 16777214 (you can always modify the value in the file or in the registry after applied).
  • Restart computer.

    • New: Windows Vista Event ID 4226 Auto Patcher 
    Windows Vista Event ID 4226 Auto Patcher has been renamed as Vista tcpip.sys and UAC Auto Patcher, which now has more than 6 versions of auto patcher download links for different versions of tcpip.sys with the release of various hotfixes and SP1. Visit here for details. 
    New: Half-Open Limit Fix (Automated tcpip.sys Patch using Test Self-Signed Certificate) 

    Also Available – Driver Version: CrackTcpip.sys for Vista SP1 v.668 – a non-patching method to bypass TCP connection limit. 
    Also available is TCP/IP auto patcher for 64-bit (x64) Windows Vista SP1. 
    Gui Version: VistaTcpPath TCP Auto Patcher which works for Vista RTM (non-SP1) version of tcpip.sys. 
    Old Version: 

    Version 1.0
    Version 1.2
    Version 1.3
    Version 1.4
    Version 1.5 
    With thanks to YaronMaor for batch script. 
    The TCP connection limit which trigger Event ID 4226 has now increased to 500 (or any other value you set), and will likely fix the error for re-occurring again

    Jul
    07

    win Vista Second Generation System Requirements

    No commentsWindows VistaJuly 7th, 2009

    Vista Second Generation System Requirements.

    Here s What You Need to Use Windows XP Professional
    Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)
    At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)
    At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk
    CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
    Keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse or some other compatible pointing device
    Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution
    Sound card
    Speakers or headphones
    Additional Items or Services Required to Use Certain Windows XP Features
    For Internet access:
    Some Internet functionality may require Internet access  a Microsoft .NET Passport account 
    and payment of a separate fee to a service provider  local and/or long-distance telephone toll
    charges may apply
    14.4 kilobits per second (Kbps) or higher-speed modem
    For networking:
    Network adapter appropriate for the type of local-area  wide-area  wireless  or home network you
    wish to connect to  and access to an appropriate network infrastructure  access to third-party networks
    may require additional charges
    For instant messaging  voice and videoconferencing  and application sharing  both parties need:
    Microsoft .NET Passport account and Internet access or Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server instant
    messaging account and network access (some configurations may require download of additional components)
    For voice and videoconferencing  both parties also need
    33.6 Kbps or higher-speed modem  or a network connection
    Microphone and sound card with speakers or headset
    For videoconferencing  both parties also need:
    Video conferencing camera
    Windows XP
    For application sharing  both parties also need:
    33.6 Kbps or higher-speed modem  or a network connection
    Windows XP
    For remote assistance:
    Both parties must be running Windows XP and be connected by a network
    For remote desktop:
    A Windows 95 or later–based computer  and the two machines must be connected by a network
    For sound:
    Sound card and speakers or headphones
    For DVD video playback:
    DVD drive and DVD decoder card or DVD decoder software
    8 MB of video RAM
    For Windows Movie Maker:
    Video capture feature requires appropriate digital or analog video capture device
    400 MHz or higher processor for digital video camera capture
    * Actual requirements will vary based on your system configuration and the applications and features you choose
    to install. Additional available hard disk space may be required if you are installing over a network.

    Jul
    07

    disable unwanted services in windows vista

    No commentsWindows VistaJuly 7th, 2009







    Previously, we have seen how to adjust Vista for best performance by changing its Visual Effects. One of the other method to increase the Vista or Windows Operating System performance is to reduce the startup time. By default, most of the applications, when you install creates an entry in the startup and it loads every time you start your computer whether you are using it or not. It utilizes the RAM and thus reducing the performance.


    So to improve the Vista startup speed, you have to remove those unwanted startup items which are consuming those extra time.


    Here is how to remove unwanted startup items in Windows Vista and XP.


     


    Click the Start button and Type MSCONFIG in the Search Box and hit Enter. (If you are using XP, go to RUN and type MSCONFIG)


    You will get System Configuration Window. Click the Startup tab and uncheck all the programs or applications that you don’t want to automatically load every time you use your PC.

    Remove Unwanted Startup Programs in Vista


    Usually, you can safely uncheck all apart from any antivirus software, applications like Windows Defender, or any applications that you would love to have every time like a Dock.


    After unchecking the ones that you don’t want, Click OK. In the next window, you may choose either to restart or later and the effects would take place next time you start your PC.


    System Configuration in Vista


    Next time when you start your computer you should feel the difference provided currently you had a huge list of unwanted startup items.


    Another trick on the same utility: Before you close that System Configuration, you can want to change the Windows Vista to get the real hidden Aurora Boot Screen option.

    Jul
    07

    how to enable network animation windows vista

    No commentsWindows VistaJuly 7th, 2009

    Slow down the window animation speed in Windows Vista



    This little tip has been kicking around since Windows Vista Beta 1 and I just confirmed that it works on the RTM build (6000.16386). For those of you who dont know what this is, you can change a certain registry key and it will allow you to slow down the animation of windows (on minimize/maximize/close for instance) by holding down the SHIFT key while performing an action.


    In order to enable this, you must edit the registry.



    1. Click on the Start button.
    2. In the “Start Search” field type “regedit”. When it is displayed, either click on it or press Enter.
    3. If User Account Control prompts you for consent, click on Continue.
    4. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsDWM
    5. In the right hand pane, right click on an empty space and from the context menu that appears choose “New > DWORD (32-bit) Value”.
    6. Give the new DWORD (32-bit) Value a name of “AnimationsShiftKey” (without the quotes).
    7. Double click on the “AnimationsShiftKey” value and give it a value of 1.
    8. Close the Registry Editor.

    9. Log off of Windows and log back in for this to take effect.

    Please note that in order for this to work you must be using Windows Aero.


    One really cool way Ive found to test this is to invoke Windows Flip3D by pressing CTRL+WinKey+Tab and then holding shift while clicking on a window. Pretty nifty.


     

    Which feature in Windows Vista can users enable to visually indicate network activity?











    A:The logical network map in the Network and Sharing Center


    B:Microsoft Windows Aero


    C:Automated diagnosis of network connectivity in the Network and Sharing Center


    D:Toggling activity animation in the tool tray