In order to get started using your brand-new Dell (PRODUCT) RED PC right out of the box, you will need to enable a few things in order for the Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED bits such as the Sidebar Gadgets and Windows DreamScene to run. In the Read More......(
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Written by Windows Vista Team Blog on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Dell and Featured News and PRODUCT (RED) and Screensaver and Windows DreamScene and Windows Sidebar and Windows Vista.
On top of purchasing your (PRODUCT) RED PCs from Dell online, Dell is also providing the (PRODUCT) RED PCs for purchase at Best Buy. Here is a search of BestBuy.com for Dell's (PRODUCT) RED PCs . Just click on one of the PCs and you can choose to search Read More......(
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Written by Windows Vista Team Blog on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Best Buy and Dell and Featured News and PRODUCT (RED).
Elfwgps Toolbar is a bad toolbar. The Elfwgps Toolbar usually get installed onto your PC without your permission, through Trojan, malware and virus (or you could get it by installing a fake video codec).
Download SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility
Manual Elfwgps Toolbar Removal Instructions:
Unregister Elfwgps Toolbar DLL Files:
(Learn how to do this)
byxww.dll
ssqpp.dll
ezzhjmt.dll
browsew.dll
ddcyvtt.dll
ctl3d3.dll
hggdbab.dll
toprates.dll
sprt_ads.dll
oggview32.dll
turbosearchsite.dll
Find and Delete these Trojan Win32.Murlo Files:
(Learn how to do this)
byxww.dll
ssqpp.dll
ezzhjmt.dll
ddcyvtt.dll
ctl3d3.dll
hggdbab.dll
toprates.dll
sprt_ads.dll
browsew.dll
oggview32.dll
turbosearchsite.dll
Remove Elfwgps Toolbar Registry Values:
(Learn how to do this)
A74F3FC3-CC9A-4D4C-AFB5-B56F0CAA445D
14B65C62-1F53-4B15-9476-5D697608536F
82C8422E-86A3-41C1-9F2E-094F7BF849E2
BCBC8B3C-397C-4D98-B6BA-FF337B9671E1
17D2F953-B2D1-4D1B-BCD3-20432E09ECF1
80DFDD57-D8B8-4991-82B9-9E9D426668B0
4911E55D-9240-49DB-B878-337DE4F53E70
4090F502-6B2D-41B4-8409-B08905A3A0E6
F10587E9-0E47-4CBE-84AE-7DD20B8684BB
47EFD4AD-CB46-4549-B24B-CEE415394C56
3DAF1739-AB9E-493E-8DD7-F65CDF363BCB
Download SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility.
Written by Alex on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Spyware Removal.
What if I left my laptop in the car for a moment, and someone ripped it off? or, perish the thought, someone broke in and took my nice new computer? It happens all the time, especially in the corporate and public sectors, but certainly it happens to private individuals too. One in 14 laptops is stolen, say some experts.
But what if that stolen laptop or computer was powered up by the thief, then connected to the internet, and it sent an email back to the original owner describing where it was? And what if "someone" could then tell the police the name and address of the thief?
That's what
PCPhoneHome is supposed to do. It costs $30, a modest one-time charge. There is a Windows version and a Mac version. You install it on the hard drive of the computer, and whenever the computer gets a new internet connection it sends an email to any email address that you specify. This happens regularly, day after day, and unless the computer is stolen it's of little use except to let you know that it is still working. But if the computer is stolen, that email contains vital information including the IP address of the computer on its local network, if any, and especially the IP address of the mail server from which the email is actually sent. That IP address can be traced back to the user who was connected to the mail server at that time.
Brigadoon software, the makers of PCPhoneHome, promise to help with the task of tracing the computer and contacting the police with that information. So, for the price of $30, you are buying an insurance policy that may get your computer back, assuming that Brigadoon will actually answer their telephone and trace the PC, and that the police will take the time to retrieve the PC.
I downloaded three trial copies:
Laptop running Windows XP:
Version 3.0 is the "standard" version set up for a 30-day trial. It doesn't say that it works on Vista, but it does on XP. It installed with no problems, I filled out the form with details of my laptop computer (make, model, serial#, more...) and it immediately sent its first email to the address that I specified in the form. The laptop was connected by WiFi, and when I connected it directly to the LAN it sent another email. In fact, it sends TWO emails every time, with a slightly different FROM address, for some reason. No problem. So far, after three days, it works just fine.
New home-built desktop running Vista Ultimate 64-Bit:
I knew that Version 3.0 was not recommended for Vista, even though that was the standard trial download from Brigadoon Software. So I downloaded a 3.2 "upgrade" version and tried installing that, with a subsequent comedy of errors:
- First, the installation program failed to run because, according to Windows, I did not have sufficient privileges to run it even though I was logged on as administrator;
- So I clicked on the installation program's Properties, then Compatibility, and selected "Run as Administrator;"
- Then the installation program went a lot farther, but eventually reported a different error;
- It continued past that error and put up the "registration" screen which takes data to be included in the email that PCPhoneHome sends, but because of the reported error I didn't bother to fill out the screen;
- Nevertheless, the installer said the installation was successful, though I knew better;
- I uninstalled it (still possible until reboot), and tried again;
- Same results, so I rebooted;
- PCPhoneHome disappeared from the list in Programs and Features - it could no longer be uninstalled. This is a security feature built into PCPhoneHome;
- So I "reverted" the drive to the most recent restore point, deleted one leftover executable, and started over;
- This time, surprisingly, the installation went well. I filled out the "registration" screen and allowed it to reboot the computer.
- After logon, Windows alerted me that an "unknown" program XYZ (I won't disclose the name here) wanted to run and asked me if that was OK;
- I said yes. Pretty soon I received the two emails. Yay!;
- Sadly, though, upon each succesive reboot, Windows continues to ask whether program XYZ can run;
- I have modified "User Account Control" (UAC) in Windows Vista so that this no longer occurs, but of course this modification is unacceptable for the long term. UAC is a pain in the ass, but it has a purpose and should be turned ON for day-to-day activities.
- I requested a technical service response by email on January 25, but so far have not received any.
Friend's laptop running Vista Home Edition 32-Bit:
Wow I'm SO SORRY that I tried PCPhoneHome on this computer. I tried downloading the official trial version and installing that first, as most users would do. Of course it didn't work, because that version is not for Vista, so then I downloaded the upgrade and tried to install that on top of the first install. The resulting comedy of errors totally eclipsed anything that I had encountered with the desktop installation, and it still doesn't work. I have installed a lot of software on many different machines, but this takes the cake. I have requested a technical service response by telephone and by email, but so far have not received any.
Bottom line: I DO NOT RECOMMEND PCPhoneHome FOR VISTA.
In my opinion, it works fine on XP but is not ready for Vista yet. It phones home on only one of my two Vista installations. There is a workaround for the XYZ "unknown program" prompt at bootup, but that workaround simply trades one security risk for another. Brigadoon Software must fix that problem somehow, perhaps by getting valid "digital signatures" for their software.
Perhaps this is all my fault for installing it on both Vista systems incorrectly. But I don't think so; I suspect anyone running Vista with UAC turned on will experience similar problems. If true, that's an astounding failure, since:
- The most-easily-stolen computers are laptops;
- Almost all laptops sold in the last YEAR run Vista;
- UAC is turned on by default in all new Vista systems;
- Brigadoon Software had months BEFORE THAT to prepare for Vista; so
- They are about two years behind the curve and falling further behind daily.
It's as if Brigadoon is a one- or two-person shop, too busy to take the time and do the testing necessary to make their product really install and run correctly. What happens then, I know from experience, is that you spend so much time dealing with tech service questions that you have no time to fix the product. Meanwhile you are selling more of the junky product and compounding your problems. I'm only speculating here though ...
Other Issues:
- If your computer is stolen and does phone home, will Brigadoon Software actually answer their telephone and trace an email for you? When I called their telephone number this afternoon during regular business hours, I got an answering machine and no callback today. This is not what you want, because the computer may soon evaporate into the black market and never call home again. I see other remarks on the internet which indicate that this is a real question. I will update this post and add a new post when/if I hear from them regarding my pre-sales technical service problems.
- One very good thing: My computers are set up to require a password for my own logon, to prevent access to my account through the network, and also through the keyboard if the computer were to be stolen. On both the XP and the Vista desktop system, if I booted up and did NOT log on, the computer sent the email anyway. Thus if a thief were sitting at the keyboard trying various passwords, and made the mistake of connecting the computer to the internet first, the email would be on its way.
- But what if the thief didn't connect to the internet before logging on? In another part of the FAQ document, Brigadoon goes into great detail to show how to set up a computer so that it will boot up with one account which does NOT have a password. They don't spell out WHY we should do that, because it obviously reduces the system's security. But I suppose if I were the thief, I might try each of the usernames on the logon screen, looking for one with no password. If found, I might start with that account, and might even use that account to connect to the internet. Obviously, that account should not have administrator privileges!
-
Brigadoon makes another good point in their FAQ document: It's important to set up a password to the BIOS of a computer, and then set the BIOS to boot first from hard disk, not floppy or CD/DVD or memory stick. This prevents a thief from using an alternate boot to simply reformat the disk and install a new operating system, thereby obliterating the PCPhoneHome program. In case YOU have a problem with the hard disk, you simply enter the password and change the BIOS back to allow boot from alternate devices. Of course the thief can still remove the hard drive and reformat it some other way, but that's more work and by then the computer may already have phoned home.
Written by Don on January 28th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Contributors and vista.
It’s been almost 7 years since major airlines in Europe and the USA first mentioned in-flight Internet access but if you’ve flown recently you will know that apart from a tiny handful of carriers it just hasn’t happened. It proved to be a lot more difficult and expensive than everyone expected. Part of it is to do with the rigorous certification and safety testing required for any piece of airborne electronics, before it’s allowed aloft. There have also been problems, developing systems that will be useable in all types of narrow and wide-bodied aircraft but the other, more fundamental difficulty is the lack of standardisation in the various systems being trialled. (more…)
Written by Jason on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Internet and Network and computer and satellite and system and various and wifi.
VirusProtect 3.9 Descriptions:
VirusProtect, or VirusProtect 3.8, or VirusProtect 3.9, is the latest counterfeit anti-spyware software that endangers the world of computers. VirusProtect 3.9 usually installed itself onto your PC without your permission, through Zlob.Trojan, Virus or fake software. VirusProtect will display fake system alerts or fake security alerts to trick user to buy the paid version of VirusProtect, in order to remove the potential and reported problems. It’s believed that VirusProtect is a new variant of SpyLocked and SpyCrush. Not only does it slow down your machine dramatically, it would also put your privacy and data in danger.
It is extremely important to remove VirusProtect from your computer. You can try our recommended SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility, which is very intuitive and highly efficient. VirusProtect can be removed automatically. However, if you are familiar with registry edit and dll files in Windows, we strongly recommend you to try the VirusProtect manual removal instructions. It might take time and patience, but it is equally effective if you get it right.
As always, we will constantly update the instructions to combat against VirusProtect and its variants. Please feel free to post comments if you have any questions or suggestions regarding VirusProtect. This is a great community and I am sure that you would find the answers. Good luck!
Download SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility.
Manual Removal Instructions:
Stop VirusProtect Processes:
(Learn how to do this)
VirusProtect.exe
VirusProtect 3.8.exe
VirusProtect 3.9.exe
Unregister VirusProtect DLL Files:
(Learn how to do this)
ecxwp.dll
tvtpwp.dll
cjuvwa.dll
gnjsjc.dll
fsehfcu.dll
fftktmk.dll
ryxrho.dll
vpccw.dll
gusur.dll
uglgs.dll
ivrllc.dll
wxinptv.dll
monem.dll
ymmzwd.dll
axdpfl.dll
svxmhpz.dll
wowlze.dll
Find and Delete these VirusProtect Files:
(Learn how to do this)
VirusProtect 3.8.exe
VirusProtect 3.8.lnk
VirusProtect 3.8.url
Uninstall VirusProtect 3.8.lnk
VirusProtect 3.9.exe
VirusProtect 3.9.lnk
VirusProtect 3.9.url
Uninstall VirusProtect 3.9.lnk
ecxwp.dll
tvtpwp.dll
cjuvwa.dll
gnjsjc.dll
fsehfcu.dll
fftktmk.dll
ryxrho.dll
vpccw.dll
gusur.dll
uglgs.dll
ivrllc.dll
wxinptv.dll
monem.dll
ymmzwd.dll
axdpfl.dll
svxmhpz.dll
wowlze.dll
Remove VirusProtect Registry Values:
(Learn how to do this)
dec5caa7-8045-495c-8034-35aff489fedf
d8b937a4-cdad-497b-a872-8da7c4c3ef6f
0123eb75-964c-4cb3-b796-431cc9099570
5c770fbc-cc2f-4acd-93e8-e6f0594307fd
aaad3a22-1c07-45f5-bfb3-e9a8c3b382fe
3750da11-9b0c-4a75-9c8a-bbcbfcd1ccea
C78E49C0-AB82-4C79-A189-F1E34980643B
D2A0598F-FBC4-4721-BC85-F75C0712C100
fce1c203-ff2b-4ec1-9983-e2900d29bbd8
67dc0736-075a-4647-95f5-d5421b838fed
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\VirusProtect 3.8.exe
Download SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility.
Written by Alex on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Spyware Removal.
In Windows Vista the networking components were designed to be much more intelligent and automatically adjust the network settings to optimize the connection speed. This is a great new feature. Your network components basically tweak themselves for optimal performance. In most situations, these components automatically adjust perfectly for best performance. However, with wireless WAN cards the detection of network conditions is flawed and can result in slower network performance.
To fix this problem, Microsoft has released a hotfix for users affected by this issue. If you have a Wireless WAN device, I suggest you give this hotfix a try.
KB 940646 details:
This problem occurs because of the way that TCP receive window auto tuning is used in Windows Vista for connections that only receive data.
Windows Vista obtains a round-trip time (RTT) estimate at the time of connection setup and every time that a new segment of data that is transmitted. A connection that only receives data is limited to the single RTT sample that is obtained at the time of connection setup. Because the connection only receives data, the connection cannot "converge" to the actual RTT of the connection. For example, because the RTT data may fluctuate for various reasons, a "converge" operation is performed to estimate a meaningful RTT by using blending current and previous RTT data. However, if the connection cannot converge to the actual RTT of the connection, the bandwidth delay product (BDP) estimate that Vista obtains is also incorrect. Therefore, the connection's receive window is limited, and throughput of the connected transmission network is reduced.
Download 32-bit version
Download 64-bit version
Written by ShaDow on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Windows Vista and Windows Vista Tips.
Note: Windows Vista already has a shortcut to enter Flip 3D, simply press window + tab (similar to how alt + tab gives you all open items as icons)
Here you go...
{Hacks} Daily
Written by ShaDow on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Windows Vista and Windows Vista Tips.
We had this problem this morning suddenly the printer was buggy.
Trying to edit the printer properties resulted in an Explorer.exe message somthing like this:
C:\Winnt\Explorer.exe error. Function address 0x4f4c49f9 caused a protection fault. (exception code 0x0000005) Some or all property page(s) may not be displayed
And I saw this in the application eventlog.
An unhandled win32 exception occurred in spoolsv.exe [1084].
Luckily the spooler did still work for other printers connected than the HP one.
I suspected a driver corruption and installed the drivers for the HP 2300n from the HP site.
That did not help still the same message but I got into the printer properties and got to the driver properties.
I then installed the old drivers we had backupped. But again at no avail.
After searching the net I installed the HP Universal Print Driver [UPD].
http://h20338.www2.hp.com/Hpsub/cache/342988-0-0-225-121.html
This solved the problem.
please do not put this on your own site,
link at least back to http://daily-it.blogspot.com
Written by Teus on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Driver and HP and Laserjet and Print and UPD and Universal and explorer.exe and fault and protection.
Microsoft is offering a way for users of Yahoo Messenger for Windows Vista to enjoy a consistent boost in performance of the instant messaging client. After it was announced at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas the last year, Yahoo Messenger for Vista took approximately a whole year to come out as a public beta. Back in December 2007, Yahoo delivered the first taste of Yahoo Messenger for Vista, with versions for both the 32-bit and 64-bit flavors of the latest Windows client. Once the 2008 International CES was out of the way, an update was introduced to the preview version of the IM client this January. (more…)
Written by Jason on January 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Hotfix and Performance and WPF and Windows Vista and Yahoo Messenger.
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